Is the Taoiseach aware that a number of health boards are now reporting serious overspends in regard to the first quarter of this year to 31 March, despite the imposition of severe and harsh cutbacks across the whole range of services? Is he aware, to give but one example, that the North-Eastern Health Board, at its meeting yesterday, reported a variance €3.25 million from budget for the first three months of the year to 31 March? That represents an excess of 2.9% on the provision for that period. When the pay element is removed, the figure grows to 6.26%.

Is the Taoiseach aware that, in answer to questions from this Deputy, the chief executive officer of that health board stated clearly that further cuts will be needed in the areas of care for the elderly and acute hospital services, so that the board can meet the Department's demand for a break-even position by the end of this year? He also acknowledged that further difficulties for patients and clients would be inevitable. The chief executive officer stated that, while every effort would be made to reduce the hardship and inconvenience which would be suffered, there was no question but that the board would have to ensure that further cuts would be imposed in these areas.

How can the Taoiseach possibly justify a continuation of the policy of cuts which are already hurting and harming the lives of the most disadvantaged and marginalised within our communities? What level of cutbacks does he believe will be acceptable to the elderly, the physically disabled and the mentally handicapped? Already, we have a situation where 85,000 hours of home help have been taken away this year in the North-Eastern Health Board area.

The Deputy's time has expired.

However, in the first quarter there is already an overspend in excess of €429,000. In acute hospital services, how can the Taoiseach justify a situation where a chief executive officer had to report to board members that activity in the board's acute hospitals is ahead of the service level planned and, therefore, remedial measures are being taken to rectify the situation?

Deputy Ó Caoláin has gone well beyond his time.

More people presenting themselves for hospital care will now be turned away. That is an outrageous situation. What steps will the Taoiseach take to address it?

I ask the Deputy to resume his seat and allow the Taoiseach to reply.

I am aware of some difficulties in some of the hospitals. Back in January, when the Minister for Health and Children received almost €1 billion in extra resources, he asked the various health boards and other hospitals – the Dublin teaching hospitals – to put forward their service plans. Some of those hospitals had overruns from a previous year under the 1996 legislation and that became a first call on the figures for this year. They then had to manage that within their budget because, as the Minister said, there would not be Supplementary Estimates this year. That has created some difficulties. I am not aware of the details of what the North-Eastern Health Board stated yesterday. They signed up to their service plan for this year in February, which is three months ago. They knew what the service plan would be and they received sufficient resources to deal with it. The Minister and his officials have been dealing with the various health boards and chief executive officers on these issues. In January-February agreement was reached on the figures and service plans, which is the procedure that is in operation. If there are difficulties the issue should be taken up with the Minister's officials or the health board who agreed the plans.

May I point out to the Taoiseach that the members of the North-Eastern Health Board did not adopt the service plan. It was introduced by the chief executive officer and the Minister for Health and Children. Those who did not sign up to the plan included the Taoiseach's own party members on the North-Eastern Health Board who could not accept the per capita allocation in the north east, recognising it was totally and absolutely inadequate for the board to provide the services which are expected of it. Does the Taoiseach understand that the strictures of his Department on the boards will ensure there will be ever deeper cuts in the whole area of home help hours, respite and day care and a whole host of services for the most vulnerable in society? He claimed in recent days to be the champion of the disadvantaged. How does he expect these steps, already taken over the first three months and now to be expanded in the coming nine months, will in any way address the needs of the disadvantaged in our society? Will the Taoiseach explain, as other Deputies have sought to find out, how at the eleventh hour, the Government was magically able to provide essential moneys to address one area of need, yet people who are queuing up the length and breadth of this jurisdiction for hospital services and are in need of real community-based care, includ ing home help, respite care and residential care, cannot get an extra euro from the Government to meet their needs this year? These people deserve an answer from the Taoiseach.

The Deputy's analysis is entirely wrong because the health Estimate for this year was increased by more than 12%, receiving more than 34% of the entire additional expenditure for this year. The full cost of the additional excellent health workers, whose contribution I acknowledge, has been included in this year's Estimate. Of the additional 709 beds, more than 500 have been opened and the remainder are also costed into this year's figures.

The Taoiseach has played that one out.

The Deputy must allow the Taoiseach to reply without interruption.

Due to the hard work and the resources provided in the past few years, there is almost a 25% increase in the number of patients being treated. To try to give another impression is not factual because expenditure for the Department of Health and Children is being monitored and controlled. Given that resources have been increased to €9 billion—

Every detail I gave is factual.

Deputy Ó Caoláin, please.

—there must be monitoring and controls in place. The Minister who is committed to this must try to work within the resources available to him, which is what he has been doing. He agreed service plans this year, which are being implemented. I cannot give a blow by blow account of each of them for every month because I do not have that information. There is a process in place whereby the health boards can discuss the issues with the Department of Health and Children.