Talks between health service management and hospital consultants over a new contract - one of the key elements of the Government's healthcare reforms - are on the brink of collapse.
Both health service management and hospital consultants acknowledged last night that the negotiations were in serious trouble.
Talks between health service management and medical organisations which took place last week concluded in deadlock. Further plenary meetings between the parties, scheduled for early December, have been deferred, although some talks at sub-committee level will take place.
The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) have rejected a draft new contract proposed by management. This draft envisaged consultants working as salaried employees in public hospitals.
The IHCA also accused management of breaching the letter and spirit of an agreement brokered in October by the independent talks chairman, barrister Mark Connaughton, which facilitated the resumption of talks.
Management rejected this claim and maintained the medical organisations sought to introduce pre-conditions that were not part of the Connaughton agreement.
