Job cuts to target 2,500 ‘surplus’ public admin staff

A new raft of public service redundancies with a target of 2,500 “surplus” people will be largely focused on reducing excess numbers working in health service administration.

In October, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin announced plans to seek voluntary redundancies to cut the public wage bill, but no details on numbers were provided at the time.

Mr Howlin now says he plans to begin work in the new year on the scheme, with a target of 2,500 people.