The Health Service Executive has said that it is seeking to generate savings of more than €300 million before the end of the year.
In a report published today, it said that it was pursuing savings targets of €249 million as well as further contingency measures of €53 million to support the delivery of a balanced budget for the year.
The HSE report said it had recorded a financial deficit of €223.3 million in the year to July.
The executive said hospitals had overrun their budgets by €139 million by the end of July. This is "a cause of significant concern", it said.
“While many hospitals are delivering on their break even plans there are a number of hospitals which have serious difficulties and will face cash pressures in the weeks leading to the year end," it said.
The report said community services were more than €50 million in the red.
The HSE report said each of its regions was “fully focused on implementing remedial measures to deliver on a balanced budget by year end. These are being constantly reviewed and updated and will require constant management focus until year end”.
HSE management in the various regions are expected to meet trade unions and staff representatives in the coming weeks to outline new cuts to be introduced. The remedial measures to be put in place are expected to involve further bed closures, more curtailment of the use of agency staff and restrictions on overtime.
Minister for Health James Reilly last night warned the HSE was facing “serious challenges” before the end of the year in tackling its budgetary difficulties.