Pressure On HSE Grows As 999 Service Threatened

Emergency services throughout Ireland could be severely affected if anticipated strike action by ambulance staff goes ahead.

Over 1,200 Health Service Executive (HSE) employees have voted in support of industrial action over proposals to privatise the paramedic sector.

Although the ‘Yes’ vote was confirmed yesterday no action is due to be taken for at least a month and according to the health workers union, SIPTU, an emergency 'skeleton cover' staff would remain in place during any industrial action.

Plans to privatise aspects of the paramedic and ambulance sector came to light at Christmas.

The union claims the HSE awarded contracts to three private ambulance providers for work, which would normally be conducted in-house by SIPTU paramedics.

However, the HSE’s rebuttal said any suggestion that it intended to privatise the national ambulance service is "mischievous and untrue", and reaffirmed its commitment to the development and expansion of the service.

The HSE said it is willing to continue discussions with the trade union about the dispute.

The controversy is only one of a number of disputes the HSE has been involved in regarding its employment policy.

The Irish Labour Court ruled yesterday the HSE breached the terms of the national agreement, Towards 2016, due to the way it introduced a recruitment freeze last year.

The HSE introduced a recruitment ban last September as part of its "Financial Break-Even Plan" to deal with a €200 million financial overrun.

The freeze was then lifted - on January 1st - before Impact, SIPTU, and a number of other unions submitted a joint complaint to the Labour Court.

(DW)