The nurses' union, the INMO, has claimed a new HSE plan for €80 million in savings will seriously compromise patient safety, and it wants the plan withdrawn.

The INMO says the new measures under the Haddington Road agreement will hit frontline care. They include:

* A further reduction in staffing.

* A reduction in staff skill mix, particularly in services looking after the older person and the disabled, which will, the INMO said, lead to the number of experienced staff being reduced and replaced with inexperienced staff.

* Filling nursing vacancies in the community, with newly graduated nurses, which the INMO says is contrary to best practice.

Other measures include a reduction in the number of operational nurse managers in the care of the elderly sector; and substitution of experienced support staff, in other sectors, with new staff under the support staff intern programme, the INMO says.

The HSE has said these are not an extra €80 million in cuts, but part of the implementation of the terms of the Haddington Road agreement.

The health executive wants extra nursing hours under the Haddington Road agreement and cuts in agency staff and overtime. A further €56 million is being sought in savings in hospital services.

The HSE wants heathcare assistants to take on some additional duties nominally carried out by nurses.