The time for talking about a new contract for hospital consultants is "over," Minister for Health Mary Harney has declared.
Speaking in Dublin earlier today, Ms Harney said: "Unless there is a dramatic change in attitude over this weekend, I'll be bringing proposals to government the week after next to deal with the impasse that has now emerged."
Her comments follow the continuing deadlock between health service management and representative bodies for doctors on a revised contract for hospital consultants.
This is one of the key elements of the Government's overall healthcare reforms.
Yesterday, in a confidential report, the independent chairman of the talks on a new contract for consultants said no progress had been achieved in negotiations over the last two months.
Ms Harney said last year that she would move to impose a new contract if no agreement was reached with medical bodies.
The Taoiseach said today he was disappointed that talks had become deadlocked. "We've been trying hard to get these talk to come to fruition. We'd still like that to happen," he said.
But the Irish Medical Organisation has warned that any attempt to impose a new contract on consultants would widen the gulf between the two sides.