MORE THAN €200 million which was set aside in December's Budget on new services for older people, for those with disabilities and for palliative care has not been spent so far this year, it has emerged.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) says it is still in discussions with the Department of Health on the issue and has held off spending the money pending a review of its financial situation.
However, the disclosure is likely to lead to accusations from patient groups and Opposition parties that much of the money may be diverted into other areas of the health service.
The HSE has already overspent more than €90 million this year and is examining a number of options to rein in spending over the rest of the year. One of these options is to divert the €200 million earmarked this year for the development of services for the disabled, older people and palliative care.
A spokesman for the HSE confirmed yesterday that discussions were ongoing with the Department of Health over the issue and said that significant investment was continuing across a range of health services in the meantime.
A performance monitoring review presented to the HSE's board recently showed that the vast majority of spending earmarked for new service developments has not been spent.
This funding package is intended to develop services for older people, including home care packages, sheltered housing and day and respite care. It also included €110 million to implement the Government's "fair deal" scheme for financing nursing home care.
In the area of disability, the services due to be developed this year include 200 new residential places, more than 450 day places, new respite places and the appointment of 140 multi-disciplinary posts for children with disabilities.
Other money which has not been spent is due to be spent on new services in areas such as palliative care, cancer control and immunology.
The issue of money being diverted from areas such as mental health into other HSE spending ignited a major Dáil row last week. However, a spokesman for the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, last night said the Minister was insistent that money for developing new services should be ring-fenced for that purpose.
Patient groups representing people with disabilities and older people have condemned the delays in new services coming on stream.
Groups such as Age Action Ireland have been particularly critical of the closure of respite beds for older people and of delays in implementing the Fair Deal scheme.
Inclusion Ireland, which represents people with intellectual disabilities, says that the delays in funding new day services are affecting the quality of life of hundreds of clients and their families.