Cowen defends cut in hospital jobs

THE TAOISEACH defended the reduction of 120 temporary jobs at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin in heated exchanges with the Labour leader.

Brian Cowen said they were required to live within existing allocations. "Owing to the good work Crumlin hospital has been doing, and its important work nationally, an agreement was made to deal on a once-off basis with last year's overrun,'' said Mr Cowen.

Eamon Gilmore said a cut in staff meant the service provided would be affected. "We are long past the stage of arguing about budgetary discipline, service planning and all this gobbledegook.''

The Taoiseach said: "It is not gobbledegook.''

Mr Gilmore replied: "It is gobbledegook to a parent who comes into a hospital with a sick child but is told that the child cannot receive any service. The Taoiseach must sort this out and reform the HSE so that we do not end up in a situation where different hospitals or services are not functioning from one week to the next.''

Mr Cowen said he fundamentally disagreed with the contention the health service could be improved without any reference to budgets.