The Department of Public Expenditure announced on Thursday an overspending of €195 million at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth during the first six months of the year. This was largely due to augmented expenditures on international protection accommodation services, disability services and Tusla. This put the spending of Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s department 5.4% above planned expenditures as revealed in the government’s recently released mid-year expenditure report.
The department registering the most significant overspending was the Department of Health, with €11.7 billion spent in the first half of the year, over €1 billion and 9.7% more than projected. According to department officials, the majority of this overspending arose in the acute hospital area, along with emerging non-pay and pay pressures in the first year half. This has prompted the government to assert its commitment to allocate an additional €1.5 billion in 2024 to strengthen the health sector.
The report also acknowledged the need for premium healthcare services, the intricate nature of health service provision, particularly in the acute care sector, and the lingering impacts of the post-pandemic and high inflation environment.
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, declared in a statement that an extra €1.2 billion will be channelled to the health service in 2025. The Department of Health and the HSE believe this funding opens up the “opportunity” for improved financial planning in the health service, ensuring the substantial public funding aligns with the delivery of better healthcare outcomes and services.
Over the first half of the year, the government spent €743 million on social protection, mirroring amendments to social welfare payments integral to Budget 2024. Although this marked a 6.1% increment compared to the same period the previous year, it was still within the anticipated parameters.