Minister for Health Dr James Reilly has warned the HSE to ''get its books in order'' after it has reported a €145m overrun to the end of March.
The board of the Health Service Executive is meeting today to discuss the deficit.
The minister also said that the executive must deal with the €800m paid each year for overtime, allowances and premium rates to doctors, nurses and other staff.
He described this as the ''elephant in the room''.
However, health unions say the cutting of overtime payments and extra allowances for staff would be a breach of the Croke Park Agreement.
Paul Bell of the SIPTU Health Division says most of the extra payments are a result of staff shortages.
Dr Reilly said that in the past the HSE had given figures that were proven not to be accurate and that absolute transparency was needed.
A British management consultant was sent into the HSE on Tuesday to examine how it manages its €14bn budget.
That review is due to be completed in a fortnight's time.
Separately, Minister Reilly said the report of the Dolphin Review on the location for the new National Children's Hospital was expected in his department by lunchtime.
The report runs to 70 pages and a huge volume of submissions were made to the group.
Dr Reilly confirmed that the report will offer a range of options to the Government, with pros and cons for each, rather than recommend one particular site over another.
The report is unlikely to go to Cabinet for some weeks, as an analysis of its contents will be needed and clarifications may have to be sought.
