Unions seek assurance about effects of HSE redundancy plans

Unions are seeking assurances from the Health Service Executive that its redundancy programme will not impact support services to front-line staff.

The HSE wants 5,000 of its 28,000 administrative and clerical staff to take up voluntary redundancy or early retirement.

They have less than three weeks to apply to leave and unions are concerned that this is not enough time.

SIPTU's Paul Bell said: "First of all there should be a period of consultation where people can understand what is on offer…Anybody who wants to go, can go, within a category, without any understanding of the effects that will have on the delivery of the public health service."