Health Unions are waiting for confirmation from the HSE that healthcare staff unable to find childcare will be paid to work from home.
It's understood the measure was proposed by the HSE during a teleconference with unions yesterday.
4,500 health service staff were absent from work last week including those on sick leave, those self isolating and some without childcare.
The HSE says that it intends to be as flexible as possible to ensure that childcare arrangements are balanced with responsibilities to provide critical health services.
