The overall health budget has been given an increase of €1.05bn the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has confirmed.
Under the new budget which will be worth an overall €17bn, the Department of Health will be given a further resources to spend on services including disability and mental health.
The Budget which has been one of the biggest in recent years will allocate funding to key areas in order to address the current health crisis.
It is understood the Department of Health will be given €84m to spend on mental health services.
It will also be given an extra €150m to spend on disability services which will bring its the grand total to €2bn, whilst the National Treatment Purchase Fund will be given an extra €20m in funding.
Mr Donohoe who reportedly made housing and health services his main focus of this year’s Budget, also confirmed that prescription charges will be reduced by 50c for medical card holders over the age of 70 .
Meanwhile there will also be decrease in the monthly Drugs Payment Scheme as it will be reduced from €134 to €124.