Hospital consultants and health service management are scheduled to hold face-to-face talks over three days next week in the latest attempt to reach agreement on a new contract.
The negotiations are to take place at Kilashee House Hotel, near Naas, Co Kildare, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week. There is also a possibility that the talks could extend into the following week.
Among the key issues that will have to be addressed as part of the negotiations are private practice rights for doctors under the proposed new contract, the pay scales to apply, moves to roster consultants over weekends and the introduction of a controversial "gagging clause".
Talks between the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, the Irish Medical Organisation and health service management on a new contract collapsed last April after the Government ordered that 68 new consultant positions should be advertised unilaterally on revised terms and conditions.
However, following the general election Minister for Health Mary Harney met the parties about reconvening negotiations and behind-the-scenes contacts have been underway for the past several weeks.
The introduction of a new contract for hospital consultants is a key element of the Government's overall healthcare reform programme.
Under the proposed contract put forward by health service management, consultants in future would have either no rights or very limited rights to treat private patients. They would also be obliged to work over an extended day as part of teams with weekend work being part of the normal duty commitment. Management has also proposed the introduction of a clause restricting consultants' rights to speak out publicly.
Management has offered salaries of up to €205,000 to doctors opting for the new contract. There will also be provision for a bonus of up to 20 per cent.