Harney warns of possible HSE cuts as a result of industrial action

Health Minister Mary Harney said the HSE may have to make "drastic" cuts to patient services if the ongoing industrial action in the health service is not resolved.

The HSE is meeting today after talks with IMPACT trade union broke down overnight.

Talks between the sides, chaired by the Labour Relations Commission's Director of Conciliation Kevin Foley, were adjourned without agreement in the early hours of this morning.

No date was set for their resumption.

IMPACT is seeking assurances on the Croke Park deal on public sector pay and reform and insists it won't lift the industrial action until it gets clarification on job security.

Its members are refusing to pass on crucial financial information to the HSE, putting a "stranglehold" on the day to day running of the health service.

The HSE is warning it may be forced to cut services because it has no idea how its budget is being spent.

Minister Harney said today that the information that the HSE needs to know at board and senior administative level "is not forthcoming".

"We may well arrive at a situation in the late summer and early autumn of this year when monies have been expended that we hadn't anticipated, and therefore we'll have to make pretty drastic reductions in the services to our patients."