The National Implementation Body (NIB), the main trouble-shooting mechanism in the social partnership process, has criticised the Health Service Executive (HSE) over the manner in which it put in place its controversial cost-cutting plan aimed at tackling a €245 million financial deficit.
In a statement yesterday, the NIB said it was disappointed that the response to the financial situation had "resulted in a marked absence of partnership and joint problem-solving".
It recommended that management and unions should engage together in a spirit of partnership on the measures necessary to address the financial situation.
It said that the parties should avail of the services of the Labour Relations Commission if necessary.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said that it was considering the NIB statement.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said that the HSE chief executive, Prof Brendan Drumm, had had "a very difficult decision to make".
"He had to live within budget for 2007 and he had to make very quick decisions for the month of September.
"But clearly it's preferable that we consult and we have dialogue and discussion and everything we are trying to do in health is on a partnership teamwork basis. Prof Drumm is as committed in the HSE to doing that as I am and the Government are," she said.
The NIB said it was concerned that the row could impact negatively on the potential of the recently established health forum to facilitate the wide-ranging change agenda in the health sector.
The HSE announced a fortnight ago that it was introducing a temporary ban on recruitment as well as other measures such as a moratorium on promotions. A prohibition was also put in place on the additional use of agency staff or overtime working.
These measures are to be reviewed next month.