Talks on a new contract with hospital consultants are expected to resume shortly after the Health Service Executive (HSE) confirmed yesterday that it had agreed to postpone the filling of 68 new hospital consultant posts controversially advertised on terms not agreed with doctors' unions.
The posts will not now be filled until after the middle of September.
The HSE's decision means that it has accepted proposals by the independent chairman of the consultant contract talks, Mark Connaughton SC, for the resumption of negotiations.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said yesterday she also accepted Mr Connaughton's proposals for resuming talks as did the Irish Hospital Consultants Association representing the majority of consultants.
The Irish Medical Organisation said it was also likely to respond positively to the independent chairman's proposals.
The decision by the Government in April to advertise the 68 posts on revised terms led to the collapse of negotiations on the new contract.
Ms Harney said that Mr Connaughton had recommended bilateral talks should commence immediately, progressing to full plenary sessions on dates to be agreed in the near future.
"Mr Connaughton's proactive approach offers the prospect of bringing the contract talks to a successful conclusion by early autumn," she said.
"A lot of progress has already been achieved in the talks . . . I expect that both sides to the negotiations will now work intensively to resolve outstanding issues," she added.
The HSE, in a statement, said it looked forward to pursuing talks on a new contract "to an early and successful conclusion" on the basis of Mr Connaughton's proposals.