Almost 2,700 jobs have reportedly been cut from the health service as a result of the HSE's controversial recruitment freeze.
Reports this morning say figures supplied to the HSE show that just over 110,000 people were employed in the health service in March.
This compares to almost 113,000 last August, just before the recruitment freeze was put in place in an effort to rein in a €200m budget overrun.
Health unions say the cutbacks are already having a significant impact on services and patient care.
IMPACT has already decided to take industrial action from Wednesday of next week that will see its members refuse to work non-emergency overtime or to cover jobs left unfilled due to the recruitment ban.
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