Jobs in hospitals and health boards within the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) catchment area will have to be cut by 200 this year, it has emerged.
The cuts, which will also affect other health board regions but to a lesser extent, are being made to comply with a directive from the Department of Finance.
A spokeswoman for the ERHA confirmed last evening that it would have to "adjust its employment ceiling downwards" by about 200 this year. Asked how many jobs would be lost in the major Dublin hospitals as a result, she said: "We are finalising those numbers as we speak."
It is understood staff numbers will be cut mainly through the non-filling of vacant posts and through "natural wastage".
Ironically the move comes at the same time as the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, is seeking Department of Finance approval to increase employment ceilings in the health sector in order to enable him open facilities worth €400 million. These have been lying idle for some time. The Department of Finance, however, is trying to cut jobs in the public sector.
In the December 2002 budget it was announced that 5,000 jobs would have to go in the public sector by the end of 2005. The reduced employment ceilings in the health sector are part of this drive.
Some of the other health boards affected by reduced employment ceilings this year include the Western Health Board, the North Eastern Health Board and the Midland Health Board.