Kenny to make state-of-the-nation speech

South African ambassador to Ireland Azwindini Jeremiah Ndou and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/ Collins
South African ambassador to Ireland Azwindini Jeremiah Ndou and Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/ Collins

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is expected to make a broadcast speech on Sunday evening to mark Ireland’s exit from the bailout.

Mr Kenny is understood to be preparing the state-of-the-nation style address to mark the day the State officially exits the EU-IMF assistance programme.

Sunday’s address will be the second time Mr Kenny has made a televised broadcast, following a similar broadcast during his first year in office.

Meanwhile, the vexed issue of health spending featured at the meeting of the Cabinet yesterday.

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The gross overspend in the Government’s health budget for this year was over €351 million but this figure has been reduced to less than €200 million by additional cuts.

Ministers yesterday approved the supplementary budget for the Department of Health this year which will see an additional €199 million being made available by the Department of Public Expenditure. Savings of €50 million in the capital budget as well as €82 million were found in the budget to bring that total down to €219 million.

A further €20 million was found in the Department’s own budget from administration, agency payments and from timing issues around compensation payment.

Stephen Collins

Stephen Collins

Stephen Collins is a columnist with and former political editor of The Irish Times