Hospital consultants have called for a mediator to oversee crisis talks on insurance for past medical-negligence claims.
The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) has also threatened to take industrial action later this year if the issue is not resolved.
The Medical Defence Union (MDU) announced it was to discontinue the insurance contract it has offered to consultants in recent years. Talks between the Department of Health and the medical insurer have stalled.
The IHCA deferred industrial action in February at the request of the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. The body postponed action for four weeks. "Yet here we are now, twelve weeks later, and with no obvious progress at all", said IHCA President Dr Josh Keaveny, at a press conference today.
The IHCA also asked that a special actuarial report, commissioned by the Department on historic obstetric liabilities, be made available both sides in the dispute.
"The Secretary General indicated that their talks with the MDU may resume. However, the current situation is totally unsatisfactory," Dr Keaveny added.
Prof Michael O'Keefe, Chairman of the IHCA Negotiating Committee, warned the MDU has signalled an interest in exiting the Irish market altogether. The MDU has done so in several other countries, he said.
"The Department of Health has been aware of this problem for ten years, and they had given the MDU the impression that they wanted to solve the problem. That is why the primary responsibility to resolve this crisis lies with the Department of Health", he added.
Dr Keaveny said the IHCA will convene an emergency meeting in early September to reinstate industrial action by hospital consultants if the current insurance cover crisis has not been resolved.