A major stand-off between 500 hospital staff and the HSE over the €250,000 pay-packet of a manager heading up a key hospital group is set to escalate after talks to resolve the matter broke down.

Up to 500 staff at five hospitals in the University of Limerick Hospital Group have begun industrial action over the continued employment of the group’s chief operations manager on €250,000 per year — more than twice the €116,000 that would be paid to a public servant.

Over-spending by hospitals is running at twice the rate it was this time last year. And there’s little sign the trend is going to change, writes Claire O’Sullivan