Deputy Elaine Millar, the treasury minister, acknowledged the increase to the health budget was “concerning”.
She said: “It’s concerning, it would be concerning for any department to see that level of growth of spending and that demand in spending.”
She explained there were legitimate reasons for the health budget to be increased.
Millar said: “We are not alone, nearly everywhere in the western world is looking to increase health spending.
“So we are seeing an increase in spending that’s due to more people living longer and living longer with illnesses that need to be treated.
“Health inflation is bigger than inflation in the rest of the economy.”
