North East health-worker unions meet HSE in effort to halt cuts
Unions representing health workers in the North East are meeting HSE management at the Labour Relations Commission today.
The meeting was called after the HSE announced sweeping plans to rein in the area's health budget.
Fifty beds in the Louth/Meath area will be closed in an effort to cut costs and all agency staff will be let go before December 1.
Twenty-four beds will go in the Louth County Hospital in Dundalk, while 10 will shut in Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda will also be hit with the temporary closure of 16 beds.
Industrial Relations Officer with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Tony Fitzpatrick said the HSE was in breach of the Croke Park Agreement.
He said today's meeting under LRC head of conciliation Kevin Foley was to halt the measures and to open communication "so that lives are not put at risk".
