Fresh talks to take place on new consultants' contract
A fresh round of talks is due to take place today in a final bid to reach agreement on contentious new contracts for hospital consultants.
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association is due to meet HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm and Department of Health secretary general Michael Scanlan in an effort to hammer out a deal.
The HSE and the Government want consultants to agree to more flexible working hours and to stop treating private patients in public hospitals.
The doctors have been offered salaries of up to €235,000 if they sign up to the new contracts.
The Government has vowed to press ahead with recruiting new consultants on the revised contracts whether or not an agreement is reached.
