The chief executive officer of the North Eastern Health Board has been ordered by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to immediately submit to the Department of Health his spending plans for 2003.
The order came yesterday within 24 hours of the health board voting to reject the board's action - or service - plan for 2003 on the grounds that it had been drawn up on an inadequate budgetary allocation from the Department.
The rejected service plan indicated that up to 70 jobs would have to be cut in the NEHB this year if it is to stay within budget. Its allocation for the year is €483 million, which it claims is the lowest per capita allocation of any health board in the State. The board, which was at the centre of controversy last month over its handling of baby Bronagh Livingstone, is the only one of the 10 health boards in the State to have rejected its service plan for the coming year.
In a statement issued last night, Mr Martin said: "It should be noted that in the overall context of the funding available for 2003, the increase in funding for the NEHB is in line with the general increase made to all boards."
The NEHB's budget increased by 2.8 per cent this year. The Minister is now likely to direct the board to adopt its service plan within the funding with which it has been provided.
He is unlikely to meet a deputation of board members seeking additional funds as similar requests from other boards prior to the adoption of their service plans were not entertained. However, the Minister is expected to meet the NEHB's chief executive officer, Mr Paul Robinson, to discuss developments.
Mr Robinson, in the overview to his board's service plan, said that in order to comply with Department requirements he considered it necessary to reduce his staff by 70.
He said this would be achieved "through a combination of reducing employment of temporary and agency staff, non-filling of vacancies and where possible, the transfer of permanent staff to fill essential vacancies rather than recruiting replacements".