Officials from the Western Health Board and the Department of Health are expected to meet early next week in the continuing stand-off over job cuts.
The health board was last night standing by its statement that the €1.15 million in savings sought by the Department for the rest of this year would cost 200 jobs.
The Department continued to insist that the savings amounted to 85 jobs. The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has demanded an explanation from the board as to how it arrived at the figure of 200. It is understood that by last night the board had not produced an explanation.
An explanation is also being sought by trade unions representing health workers. Mr Kevin Callinan, national secretary for health with IMPACT, said he wanted to know "how the Western Health Board reached a proposed figure of 200 job cuts . . . and what assessment, if any, was made on the likely impact on services".
IMPACT's western regional health executive said it would "strongly resist" the cuts.
Ms Helen Murphy, president of Galway Branch of SIPTU and nursing shop steward at University College Hospital, Galway, said she was "shocked at the way these job cuts were announced" and their extent, and the union would be opposing them.
Criticism continued to mount in other quarters yesterday. Labour Party TD for Galway West, Mr Michael D. Higgins, said it represented "another example of the degradation of politics by Fianna Fáil", while Independent Mayo TD, Dr Jerry Cowley, said he found it hard to believe patients would not be affected.
Fine Gael Mayo TD, Mr Michael Ring, said the Dáil should be recalled, given the extent of health job losses likely across most health boards. A UCHG consultant, Mr Hugh Bredin, said he would be "very worried" about the effect on patient care. "For instance, if ward clerks are cut, this will have an effect on patients."
The Government cost-cutting plan announced in July envisages 800 job cuts, to be made through the "non-filling" of existing vacancies which should not be in "frontline" services but there are indications that at least some jobs which are now filled will be lost.
Other indications suggest job losses may turn out to be in excess of 800 given the extent of budget shortfall in some health boards.
Mr Seán Hurley, chief executive officer of the Southern Health Board, has told board members that "it is clear that all of the savings will not be met from the non-filling of posts as either vacancies do not exist or staff are in place in posts". The Eastern Regional Health Authority suggested there might be "minimal" lay-offs in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.