Recruitment will now pause for posts within HSE Dublin and South East. A year-to-date budget deficit of €37.4m as of Q1 2026 has been highlighted to all members of the Executive Management Team across the region.

An internal document seen exclusively by WLR outlines the measures required to be undertaken by each department within HSE Dublin and South East before the end of 2026.

The document asks each team to ‘review overall pay allocation’ and to pay particular attention to agency usage, overtime, and ‘any current arrangements classified as exceptional payments.’

HSE Dublin and South East Recruitment Paused

As part of the financial control measures being implemented immediately, a pause on recruitment will apply ‘across all non-frontline, non-critical posts.’ The document states that ‘exceptions will only be considered where supported by a documented business case and approved at REO level.’ This includes all non-frontline management and administrative staffing.

Agency engagements, extensions, and conversions will now require written prior approval at Regional Executive Officer level. Additionally, there is no approval to be granted for agency management and adminsitrative roles. Any existing arrangements in place for such roles must cease with immediate effect.

Staff reported to WLR that they have been presented with spreadsheets of the names of current agency staff. They were asked to populate the spreadsheet with the date which employment would cease, and where cost-cutting savings would be made.

It’s understood that there will be no back fill of posts.

Collection of Fees Outstanding to HSE

For existing staff, there is a renewed focus on collection of income for the HSE. This will come in the form of monthly KPIs and recouping fees from Emergency Department patients and Private Health Insurance claim forms will be prioritised.

Yesterday, May 5th, a deadline was set for departments to return a comprehensive Savings Plan template to the HSE. This plan required a detailed, line-by-line schedule of reduced non-pay expenditure. The requirement was for all departments to reduce spend by 2% and measured against 2025.

A warning was issued in the document which read ‘Failure to deliver the required savings and comply with these measures will result in further escalation and the introduction of additional controls.’

The document was issued to all hospitals and care groups across Dublin and the South East.

Statement from HSE Dublin and South East

WLR sought a comment from HSE Dublin and South East.

A spokesperson said : ‘Under the Performance and Accountability Framework 2026 – strengthening Financial Control measures, HSE Dublin and South East is showing a year-to-date budget deficit of €37.4 million, representing a 5.7% level of variance.

This level of variance, together with the nature of the overspend and the limited impact of corrective actions to date, has resulted in the HSE Dublin and South East region being placed under financial escalation.

Immediate and decisive actions are required across the region to control spending within approved levels through stronger financial controls. These additional controls include a review of overall regional non-pay spend,  income collection and pay spend with a particular emphasis on agency spend.

HSE Dublin and South East is working to deliver the necessary savings across the region to bring expenditure back in line with approved levels.’