Frontline posts not impacted by employment freeze

EMPLOYMENT freezes due to overspending by the HSE will not impact frontline posts in the West.

The HSE has introduced recruitment freezes, overtime cuts and agency spending cuts across multiple health regions in response to the overspend of €250million in the first three months of 2026.

At a meeting of Regional Health Forum West, Tuam Cllr Donagh Killilea enquired about the impact of this freeze on frontline andnnon-frontline staff posts in the region.

Integrated Health Area Manager for Galway and Roscommon Ann Cosgrove assured that the freeze won’t impact any posts that have already been advertised as long as they are within the HSE’s employment ceiling.

“Our employment control ceiling related to all staff working within the system and the area we are focused on at the moment is to reduce agency staffing as much as possible,” clarified Ms Cosgrove.