Many matters remain in dispute between both sides involved in the negotiation of a new contract for hospital consultants, according to the independent chairman of the talks, Mark Connaughton SC.
However, in a letter to Minister for Health Mary Harney, he said there was nonetheless a comprehensive discussion on all issues when the talks reconvened last week and he remained of the view that the talks "should be concluded within a matter of weeks".
"One particularly thorny issue remains at large. I refer specifically to the contract type on offer and the rigidity of the approach adopted with respect to current post-holders," he said in the letter, sent last Friday.
The consultant representative bodies believed a "range of contract options" would be on offer. The fact that this was not the case was continuing to cause difficulty.
Just two categories of contract are on offer, one for consultants engaged in public practice only, the other allowing some private practice in public hospitals or the soon-to-be-built co-located private hospitals.
Mr Connaughton also said this week would be "critical as to the shape and direction of the negotiations. The consultants are still pressing for an agreement by way of variation to the existing common contract; whereas the approach of the Health Service Executive Employers Agency is premised upon acceptance of a new contract, albeit one in which some of the existing provisions might be incorporated. I understand that a revised document will be tabled shortly."
His letter was discussed at yesterday's Cabinet meeting, which Ms Harney was unable to attend due to illness.
The Government had earlier this month set a seven-week deadline for the agreement of a new contract with hospital consultants and Ms Harney had asked Mr Connaughton to provide an interim report to the Government by yesterday.
The talks are continuing over three days this week. Mr Connaughton said in his letter he expected the "direction of the negotiations" to be apparent by the end of this week.
"I understand that the spotlight is directed on all of us involved in this process and you have my assurance that I have no intention in perpetuating these discussions for one day longer than is necessary. I remain of the view that the negotiations should be concluded within a matter of weeks," he continued.
Last night in a statement the Government said it had considered the update on the talks given by Mr Connaughton.
"The Government noted Mr Connaughton's view that the talks would indeed be concluded within a matter of weeks, that is within the timetable endorsed by the Government on February 6th. The Government welcomed the intensive round of negotiations now under way."
Some progress was again reported following yesterday's talks. Finbarr Fitzpatrick, secretary general of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, said last night there had been a lot of discussion yesterday on the advocacy role of consultants.
"While there was some movement on the management side, it wasn't sufficient to satisfy our requirements."