Negotiations are set to resume today between the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and the Health Service Executive over contracts.
The negotiations have been ongoing for two years.
Minister for Health Mary Harney vowed earlier this year to impose new contracts if the talks are not successful by March 27th.
However consultants have some disagreements with a 'gagging clause' in the draft contract circulated by health service management yesterday which indicates that consultants would in future have to seek permission from new clinical directors before commenting in public on hospital services.
Doctors are also unhappy that the definition of a consultant in the draft contract is different from that in the existing agreement.
Consultants are also to express strong concerns at reports that the Government has drawn up contingency plans to advertise 300 senior medical posts, with revised terms and conditions, in mid-April.