It is the time of year again when professionals book into hotels to have a good cry. This week it's the turn of teachers and doctors.
Doctors at the Irish Medical Organisation annual conference in Killarney will not match the howls of pain from the teachers but they have plenty to complain about. This includes the deep and growing suspicion that a fundamental reform of the hospital system is being stymied by the Department of Finance.
It also includes resentment among Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) at what they see as the failure by hospital managements to implement the deal which settled last year's industrial dispute.
General practitioners are angry at plans to give medical cards to everyone over 70, regardless of income, while many people on low pay are denied medical cards.
It is, perhaps, the GPs' unhappiness with the medical card scheme which has the most potential to hit a public nerve and bring about change in the next couple of months.
The plan to provide medical cards for the over-70s without a means test was announced in the Budget and is to come into effect in July.
However, it has been opposed by the IMO since the day it was announced. The IMO argument is that 250,000 people on low pay are denied medical cards because of a too stringent means test. This means they put off seeking treatment for themselves and in some cases cannot afford sufficient treatment for their children.
In this situation, the IMO argues, it is intolerable that resources should instead be put into giving medical cards to well-off pensioners and - the GP committee cheekily complained on Budget Day - retired hospital consultants.
Now, the IMO does not have the kind of death-wish which would lead it to refuse treatment under the medical card scheme to those over-70s due to be brought into it from July. What it is more likely to do is to use the situation as a lever to get concessions on medical cards for low-paid people over the income limit.
It must have a fair chance of succeeding: the Government will not want its gesture to the over-70s to fall by the wayside in July.
Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors, too, will have a drum to beat this week. Disagreements with management as to what constitutes overtime has led to growing anger at what is seen as reluctance by employers to implement last year's deal with them. With NCHD leader Dr Mick Molloy assuming the presidency of the IMO this week, the pressure for a resolution of the disagreement will go up several notches.
So, too, will anger among NCHDs and consultants at the lukewarm approval given by the Cabinet to the Medical Manpower Forum report. Its proposals would see hundreds of extra consultants appointed and outpatient clinics provided early in the morning and in the evening as well as during the day. But the Cabinet approval came with the caveat that it would look at the report again when it found out what it would cost.
To the IMO, this all smacks of interference by the Department of Finance. The issue of who runs the health service, the Department of Finance or the Department of Health and Children, will be among the strongest themes of the conference.