The result of a ballot for industrial action by nurses at the Coronary Care Unit at CUH is expected to be known later today.
Staff at the unit which cares for patients in heart failure and those recovering from heart attacks were balloted last week and on Monday.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation say the unit is understaffed and have raised concern for staff and patients.
The issue was raised in the Dáil yesterday by Cork TD Mick Barry who also told the Taoiseach that just four out of 21 wards at the hospital meet safe staffing levels set out by the Department of Health.
Leo Varadkar did not address the ballot or staffing levels at CUH but said the HSE is continuing to recruit thousands of front line staff.
"We have enormous international competition, from Canada America, Australia and New Zealand, they're short too and that's why they're bringing in staff from abroad, including Ireland, and also the housing crisis doesn't help.
"I do think it's important that we do put into factual context that since this Government came to office we have hired an extra 7,000 doctors, nurses, midwives, dentists, we've never had more GPs with HSE contracts, we've never had more nurses working in our public health services, we've never had more consultants working in our public health service."
