Limited health services are operating around the country today as public sector unions take industrial action.
Hospitals are operating a Christmas Day staffing level to cover services in wards, emergency departments, radiography and the ambulance service.
Theatres and recovery, sexual assault units, drug treatment and phlebotomy will also operate limited services.
The HSE has asked that people only visit emergency departments in a genuine emergency and to contact their GP for non-emergency care. They have also requested that people do not telephone hospitals or other HSE services today unless absolutely necessary.
All non-emergency hospital procedures have been cancelled, and procedures that required admission to hospital yesterday did not take place. All outpatient clinics scheduled for today have been postponed, and appointments are being rescheduled as soon as possible. The HSE's swine flu vaccination clinics will also be closed today.
Public health nurses will provide weekend cover level of services and mental health nurses will provide emergency cover. Home-help services will not be affected.
Health staff in flooded areas have been exempted from the strikes to continue to help with the major emergency flood situation in Cork city and county, Co Clare and Ballinasloe in Co Galway.
Other exemptions from the industrial action include intensive/critical care, burns units, dialysis, oncology/chemotherapy units, neurosurgery, maternity and palliative care.
The voluntary intellectual disability and care of the elderly services and the phlebotomy unit at Crumlin Children’s Hospital have been exempted from the strike by unions.