The recruitment cap imposed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) is to remain in place until the end of October, it was decided this evening.
HSE managers met to consider reports on the impact on local budgets and services of a temporary recruitment freeze and other measures introduced last month to tackle a €245 million financial deficit.
Afterwards unions were briefed on the decision to ratify an extension of the plan which they say has resulted in lay-offs and service cutbacks in a number of hospitals.
Unions says the cap was introduced without consultation and that patient care will inevitable suffer. The
HSE has
denied the claim but today conceded the possibility of
"limited critical or exceptional circumstances where the appointment of front line service staff may be necessary".
Starting next week, a sub-group of managers will consider the appoiontment of staff in critical areas on a weekly basis.
Today it gave the go-ahead for recruitment of staff at the newly constructed Cherry Orchard Community Nursing Units in Dublin.
It said legal commitments meant it would also begin recruiting 32 Care/Liaison officers for the disabled and 12 staff at the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin.
Staff required to introduce new arrangements relating to Nursing Home Subventions for Older people would also be recruited, the HSE decided.
The National Implementation Body (NIB), last month, severely criticised the HSE over the manner in which it imposed the cutbacks.
The industrial relations body said the measures had been introduced without consultation and breached the latest social partnership agreement.
Labour Party health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said the HSE decision was "shocking" and would "cause further hardship and inconvenience for patients".
She accused Minister for Health Mary Harney and HSE chief executive Professor Brendan Drum of burying their heads in the sand and said the cutbacks would be more keenly felt as admissions increase due to the onset of colder weather.
