Proposed cutbacks of temporary Health Service Executive (HSE) staff would be devastating for the health service, the Impact trade union has warned today.
Impact national secretary Kevin Callinan said the non-renewal of temporary staff contracts would have a "devastating effect on the health system", adding that "services are already stretched, this could see them collapse".
He said the changes would affect 14,000 temporary staff across all areas of the HSE, including administration, support staff and nursing.
Mr Callinan said temporary staff are currently on three-, six- and nine-month contracts, which would only be renewed if a "special pleading" is made.
A memo issued to all network managers at the National Hospital Organisation and assistant national directors at the Primary, Community and Continuing Care (PCCC) pillar of the HSE recommended the reduction in workforce through the non-renewal of temporary contracts.
The memo said actions, which include the non-filling of all vacancies resulting from retirement, resignations and career breaks except with approval, and a complete ban on all non core activity which generates travel and subsistence expenditure were needed "in order to slow down the rate of growth in expenditure".
It is understood the HSE is preparing a response on the issue.