New inquiries are to be convened by the North Eastern Health Board into complaints against two surgeons at Cavan General Hospital, the High Court was told yesterday.
Both surgeons, Dr Pawan K. Rajpal and Dr William Joyce, will be paid but will not work at the hospital pending the outcome of the inquiries.
While the inquiries will be speedily convened, efforts would continue to achieve a final resolution to the situation arising from what has been described as "major interpersonal problems" between Dr Rajpal and Dr Joyce, the court also heard.
The announcement of the new inquiries comes after the High Court this month, in proceedings brought by Dr Rajpal, overturned a decision of the Minister for Health in August 2003 to appoint a committee to inquire into the proposed removal of Dr Rajpal.
Mr Justice Kearns yesterday thanked the sides and said what they had agreed represented substantial progress in the matter. He also directed that Mr Rajpal be awarded his costs against the NEHB and the State and made no order for costs in relation to the costs incurred by Dr Joyce in the proceedings.