Public sector exodus will rock services
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HUNDREDS of experienced teachers, nurses, health care workers and local authority staff are set to retire at the end of the month in order to meet government deadlines which will allow them to retain pensions on 2009 salary figures.
This exodus has been described as 'unprecedented' and will result in a huge loss of local knowledge and experience in areas already hit by the harsh cuts introduced in recent budgets as the government strives to come to grips with the economic crisis.
With half of the estimated 700 healthcare workers set to retire comprising nurses and health care workers, fears are being expressed that this could lead to ward closures and further cuts in care for the elderly and vulnerable in our communities.
'Until the staff recruitment embargo/moratorium is relaxed or abolished, the net effect of this latest forced staff exodus from the public health service is the destruction of services to our community's most vulnerable and needy,' said Paul Bell, national divisional organiser of Siptu's health division. ' The myth and spin that skilled health workers will not be missed and that service will continue as usual is about to be found out in catastrophic terms.'
' This is not scaremongering, as many senior citizens and vulnerable citizens depending on care in their home and community can already confirm the cutting back of this resource and in some cases the inability of the HSE to provide this service, which has a cost saving effect as the patient does not have to be cared for in a hospital setting.'
In education, 25 teachers, including six principals, are set to retire in primary schools in Dundalk and north Louth in what has been described as 'an unprecedented' number of retirements.
While there is no embargo on recruitment to schools, there has been criticism of the February 29 deadline which will lead to disruption in the classroom as students, particularly those in secondary schools, have to adjust to new teachers in the middle of the school year. fears have also been expressed that the retirements won't lead to new posts in the post-primary sector due to the cutbacks in guidance counselling and subject choices.
Local authorities, who have already lost a large number of highly experienced staff in recent years, are set to lose more workers. At last week's meeting of Dundalk Town Council, councillors heard that the local authority is considering contracting out the cutting of grass as they no longer have sufficient outdoor staff to do the work.
- MARGARET RODDY
