Hospitals across the State overspent their budgets by some €139 million in the first seven months of this year, new figures show.
The overspending is likely to lead to the Health Service Executive (HSE) putting pressure on hospitals to curb their spending during the remainder of the year.
Figures seen by The Irish Times indicate Dublin's Tallaght and Beaumont Hospitals overspent the most, having overshot their budgets by more than €16 million at the end of July. The data, which has been compiled internally by the HSE, shows Dublin's Mater Hospital overspent its budget by €14.7 million over the same period. St James's Hospital, Dublin, overspent by €10.7 million while St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin, overspent by €8.8 million. Across the country Cork University Hospital overspent by €8.7 million; Waterford Regional Hospital by €5.5 million; Sligo General Hospital by €9 million; University College Hospital, Galway by €9.8 million; Mayo General Hospital by €8.1 million and Limerick Regional Hospital by €4 million.
In the northeast Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda overspent by €7.9 million, while in the midlands, Tullamore General Hospital overspent by €6.9 million.
Within the overall €139 million is a sum of €11 million which accounts for overspending in the ambulance service.
Before the summer break it emerged that hospitals were running over budget and at that time the Minister for Health Mary Harney indicated she would be meeting HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm to discuss the matter.
Referring to the overspending in a written reply to a parliamentary question, she said she would be "discussing corrective action with the CEO as a matter of urgency".
The HSE said last night its national directors have been asked "to prioritise non-frontline service areas in seeking savings opportunities".
It added: "It is likely that national and local initiatives required to address the potential end-of-year budget pressure will include cost containment measures in non-direct costs (non-essential support costs, eg office expenses, etc) reductions in non-frontline costs, value for money initiatives, and efficiencies in energy use, patient transport and patient debt collection."
It added that volumes of services the HSE is providing in areas such as inpatient and day-case work in hospitals is ahead of service plan targets and this had contributed to the overspending.
But it said it was important to remember that in 2005 and 2006 the HSE experienced a similar potential budget over-run but through active management subsequently balanced its budget. Furthermore, it said it has a €100 million contingency fund.
A spokesman for Beaumont Hospital disputed the €16 million figure for its overspending. He said a figure of that magnitude could only be based on its original allocation in January, taking no account of additional monies approved and received under a wide range of headings since then. Furthermore, he said the hospital was still in negotiations with the HSE concerning its allocation for the full year.
Earlier this year it emerged the HSE failed to spend €97 million of the capital budget it was allocated for new developments and facilities last year. It used €71 million of it to offset day-to-day spending, and had to give the rest back to the Exchequer.