The Department of Health is getting close to half a billion euro extra for spending this year.
The decision was made by Cabinet this morning when revised estimates of expenditure across all government departments were brought by Minister Paschal Donoghue.
Under EU fiscal rules a bailout of extra money in December as has happened in previous years isn't allowed.
However the extra spending is being sanctioned at this stage because the tax take is ahead of targets.
Meanwhhile, the number of patients waiting for outpatient appointments has jumped by 8,000 in the space of a month.
According to figures published by the HSE, there were over half a million patients either waiting for an operation, an outpatient appointment or an internal endoscopy examination.
University Hospital Galway has the longest waiting list of any hospital in the country, while there are over 3,000 waiting for procedures in Limerick.
Clare Independent TD Dr. Michael Harty says there are a number of contributory factors
