The HSE is facing a €36m deficit for hospitals in the North West alone at the start of next year.
The figure was revealed at an Oirechtas Regional Health Forum briefing by the Saolta Hospital Group yesterday.
€61m has been spent so far this year at Letterkenny University Hospital while €60m has been spent at Sligo University Hospital, according to the brief.
The spend so far this year is actually down by between 3% and 4% on last year.
But Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice who attended yesterday’s meeting says the recent public service pay agreement has put even more pressure on the budget:
