The Health Service Executive has confirmed that it secured over €100m in savings from the Croke Park Agreement between March 2010 and March 2011.
Speaking at the IMPACT conference in Tralee, Director of Human Resources Sean McGrath said ongoing savings from the recruitment moratorium would amount to €90m, and described the savings as ‘very significant’.
He said employment numbers had fallen by over 4000 between March 2010 and 2011 - adding that the Croke Park Agreement was working in the public health system.
He said significant change had been achieved, adding that the health service would probably account for in excess of 50% of all savings from Croke Park.
He rejected suggestions that they had only achieved ‘low hanging fruit’ to date. He praised HSE staff for what they had delivered so far.
However, he noted that the HSE is targeting total cuts in spending of approximately €1 billion this year, adding that implementing this level of expenditure reduction within that timescale would be a hugely challenging agenda.
He also acknowledged that the current health system was still not working well enough for the patient and client.
Responding to Mr McGrath's address, IMPACT National Secretary Louise O'Donnell reiterated the unions’ commitment Croke Park, but criticised the HSE's management of redeployment.
She accused local managers of refusing to allow staff who wanted to redeploy to do so.
