Consultants may start work-to-rule
Further industrial action could be looming in the health service after Minister for Health Mary Harney's confirmed her plans to hire new consultants on contracts that have not been agreed with their unions.
The Health Service Executive has been in protracted negotiations with consultant groups about the new contracts, but the two sides have failed to reach agreement.
Yesterday, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association walked out of the talks after Ms Harney continued to insist that she would begin recruiting doctors on the new contracts next Thursday.
The IHCA is due to hold a press conference today to explain its position, but it has already warned that its members may engage in a work-to-rule protest from this weekend as a result of the row.
