The Tánaiste has dismissed claims of a recruitment freeze in the health system, saying "it could not be further from the truth".
However, Micheál Martin said the HR management within the HSE is something that has to be looked at.
As protests take place in a number of hospitals around the country at what unions are describing as a recruitment cap by the HSE, Mr Martin told the Dáil that the issue "does not warrant industrial action".
He said health expenditure has grown exponentially and there are almost 30,000 more staff across the health service than there were four years ago.
However, the Tánaiste said there are "organisational issues and reform issues" that have to be looked at.
He said: "If you are increasing every year, which we more or less are by one and a half billion every year, we have to evaluate...we have to look at outcome and how that correlates with input.
"The HR management within the HSE needs to be looked at, in my view. There has been a delegation to regional executives in terms of the prioritisation of resources.
"But that could lead to a postcode lottery type situation and that is something we need to avoid."
He was responding to questions from the People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry, who said staff shortages are going to be an election issue and protests at hospitals are gaining strength.
Mr Barry told the Dáil that there were 98 patients on trolleys or chairs at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Tuesday - the highest number since the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation started collecting trolley numbers 18 years ago.
Mr Barry asked: "If there are 98 patients on trolleys in CUH at the start of October, how many await us in the depths of winter?
"Your pay and number strategy is a disaster. It is a recruitment ban by any other name. Are you going to lift it before winter?"
