The Western Health Board (WHB) is expected to discuss its recently announced job cuts at a board meeting this afternoon.
The Department of Health said it is awaiting clarification over the announcement on Friday by the WHB that it is to cut 169 jobs.
A Department spokeswoman said it remained confident the €1.15 million in savings sought by the Minister for Health at the WHB could still be achieved by the non-filling of 85 posts.
All health boards were asked in a letter dated July 17th to leave a certain number of managerial and administrative posts unfilled in a bid to save costs at an estimated €10 million for the Exchequer.
The Western Health Board was only required to make savings of €1.15 million. This was in a context of an overall funding increase of €115 million, or 16 per cent for the health board in 2002.
The WHB had intended to cut 200 jobs, but on Friday it announced it was scaling back that figure to 169, which included nurses, ward attendants and clerical staff.
Talks between the WHB and the Department are expected to take place later this week.