THE Irish Hospital Consultants' Association has ruled out strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions, but yesterday warned that there were other ways of "persuading" the Minister for Health.
Consultants will discuss what further action to take at a meeting in Dublin on Saturday. They unanimously rejected the recommendations of the Buckley review body before Christmas.
The secretary general of the IHCA, Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick, said that they would not use patients as "pawns", but if matters were not resolved to their satisfaction they would explore other ways of "persuading" Mr Noonan.
"Sooner or later, opportunities will come our way to press our point. It won't be of benefit to the Minister, politically or otherwise, particularly with an election coming up, to have senior medics in the country's hospitals frustrated and unhappy", Mr Fitzpatrick said.
Meanwhile, the president of the Irish Medical Organisation, Mr Hugh Bredin, confirmed that it might have to consider strike action. The IMO also rejected the Buckley review. The Department had said it would only discuss the report, but the IMO wanted "broader issues" on the negotiating table.
"Consultants are getting angry. If negotiations are not concluded to our satisfaction, we would have to consider our position", Mr Bredin said. "We would go to the Labour Court. But if that did not work out, industrial action would then be on the agenda."
Mr Fitzpatrick said that the IHCA had been asking for some time for a meeting with the Minister to discuss the recommendations of the Buckley review. "We have watched the offer to the nurses go from £10 million to £80 million. All we want is a little flexibility, but we are getting no response from the Minister."
The IHCA was willing to negotiate within the £13 million offered, but it wanted the money distributed in a different way.
According to Mr Bredin, Mr Noonan has indicated that there would be flexibility on the forthcoming general pay round. However, Mr Fitzpatrick said that the review would have to be published. "How can we negotiate one without knowing the contents of the other? Percentage increases to consultants' salaries would just exacerbate the problems already existing."
A spokesman for the Department of Health said last night that a meeting would take place today between Department officials and consultants. "The meeting will attempt to outline what the possible difficulties are and a resolution of those, if possible. If a meeting with the Minister is required to advance the process, then the Minister is open to that", he said.