900 interested in HSE ‘exit scheme’

UP to 900 expressions of interest in the HSE’s voluntary redundancy and early retirement scheme were received in the first 24 hours, the Taoiseach told the Dáil.

On offer to primarily administrative and managerial staff but also support staff is the chance to leave the HSE with either voluntary redundancy of three weeks’ pay per year of service plus statutory or, for those over 50 years of age, the chance to retire early with full pension entitlement according to years of service.

However, to the ire of unions, staff who are interested in availing of the redundancy scheme only have until November 19 to notify management.

Yesterday in the Dáil, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said interest was high.

“It’s a voluntary scheme, it’s for people to consider in their own time over the coming few weeks,” he said.

“There were 900 expressions of interest overnight.”

IMPACT trade union has written to Health Minister Mary Harney seeking a meeting to discuss the schemes announced on Monday.

“We are very concerned about the manner in which they were announced and the lack of adherence to the processes set out in the Protection of Employment Act, 1997,” wrote IMPACT national health Secretary Louise O’Donnell in the letter to Ms Harney.

She told the minister IMPACT also believe that the timescales set out are too tight in terms of allowing people to make an informed decision in relation to availing of the package and allowing the services to be reconfigured to take account of the staff reductions without impacting on service delivery.

“We are seeking assurance from you that jobs left behind by the people who avail of the package will not be outsourced or carried out by agent staff,” wrote Ms O’Donnell.

She also sent a letter to the Labour Relations Commission asking it to mediate on the situation.

She referenced issues with the redundancy terms offered by the Government, the lack of information on how the cutbacks would impact on individuals and the lack of information on how services would be offered with 5,000 fewer staff.

Ms O’Donnell also criticised the lack of consultation with staff representatives before the plan was rolled out.

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