Striking public health doctors will enter exploratory talks tomorrow with Health Services Employers Agency (HSEA) at the Labour Relations Commission, in a bid to resolve their ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions.
The move was welcomed by Minister for Health, Mr Michael Martin, who said he now hoped for a "realistic engagement" between the sides.
"I welcome it in the interests of the country and large, and given the current public health threat posed by SARS, I hope the LRC can bring the sides together," he said.
Commenting on the announcement, HSEA spokesman Mr Gerard Barry, said that he welcomed the Labour Relations Commission's intervention."We hope that the Commission's intervention can pave the way for and early return to work for public health doctors," he said.The 300 public health doctors, represented by the Irish Medical Organisation, are now into the third week of their strike.