Tensions between the Government and thousands of health professionals, including nurses and doctors, were growing last night. Eithne Donnellan, Fiona Gartlandand Dr Muiris Houstonreport.
The divisions deepened yesterday when Minister for Health Mary Harney told doctors face to face that she was going to advertise 50 new consultant posts next week on terms which have not been agreed with their unions.
She indicated negotiations on a new contract for consultants had gone on for long enough without any agreement being reached, and she signalled her patience was running out.
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which represents consultants as well as junior doctors who would be likely to apply for the jobs, has advised its members not to apply for the posts or co-operate with the interview process.
Similarly, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA), said it will not co-operate with the filling of these posts. In a circular to members yesterday, it said consultants who are being requested to assist hospital management in finalising job descriptions for these posts should refuse to do so. The circular said: "If necessary, a reminder regarding dignity at work and bullying may be appropriate."
The IHCA also wrote to all hospital network managers and hospital CEOs stating that the co-operation of consultants on a whole range of administrative and managerial duties may well be withdrawn from April 22nd if they attempt to recruit these new consultants.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the consultant contract talks, Mark Connaughton SC, will reconvene the talks on Monday but at this stage it will be impossible for the sides to have agreed terms of a new contract before the Government-imposed deadline for the successful conclusion of the talks next Tuesday.
Prof Brendan Drumm, chief executive of the Health Service Executive, indicated yesterday he felt the talks could continue after Tuesday as it would take a considerable time to recruit people to the new consultant posts being advertised.
Ms Harney has already said that whether the talks continue after Tuesday will be a matter for Mr Connaughton, who will be reporting back to her on whether he considers it likely a deal can be reached between the sides at some stage.
Meanwhile, some 40,000 nurses who are members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association are continuing with their industrial action at hospitals across the State which began 13 days ago. The dispute shows no sign of being resolved.
David Begg, general secretary of Ictu and a member of the Government's National Implementation Body, said last night he had "a real fear" the dispute would be long and drawn out.
The nurses are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week.
On picket lines in Roscommon and Dublin yesterday during one-hour work stoppages which were held at a number of health facilities, the nurses made it clear they had no intention of backing down and some of them expressed the view that they should, if anything, become more militant.
They plan further one-hour work stoppages at a number of hospitals in Dublin, Sligo, Louth and Cork next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Liam Duffy, the chief executive of Dublin's Beaumont Hospital, expressed concern that a prolonged or escalated dispute would make it increasingly difficult for the hospital to maintain its services.
Mr Begg said he believed a serious effort should be made by health service employers "to crack" the 35-hour week issue.
He added that nothing short of giving the nurses a commitment on a date for the introduction of a 35-hour week - which is one of their demands - would solve the dispute.
"In my view that is the key to a settlement of the dispute. Anything short of that would be unlikely to resolve it," he added.
But he said the pay claim constituted a real difficulty.
Prof Drumm told RTÉ radio that 4,000 extra nurses would have to be employed at a cost of €200 million if nurses were to be given a 35-hour week.
He said that could not be done. However, progress could be made on reducing the working week if it could be done in a cost-neutral way through changed work practices. But he said that could only be agreed if nurses came back to talks.
"It would just be irresponsible of me to say that we could actually put a date on the table and then go and negotiate the changes in work practices," he added.
Minster for Finance Brian Cowen ruled out pay increases for nurses outside of benchmarking. He said of the nurses' dispute: "This is not a dispute that the Government needs, wants or welcomes."