IHCA row 'not about money' - Ahern

The dispute over medical consultants' contracts is "not an argument about money", the Taoiseach has said.

Speaking after the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) said it would not re-enter talks on new doctors' contracts, Mr Ahern said the issue was about "flexibility".

"So it's not an argument about money, we're spending the money. It's about flexibility, its about extending it out over longer days and using the equipment we have so that we'll have fewer waiting lists and better returns for the public," Mr Ahern said.

Speaking on Today FM, he added: "I want the consultants to work with us to reform the health service, to make it a better, more effective and more cost effective system. I'm not worried about what they earn, that isn't an issue for me.

"The issue is that the consultants are the predominantly powerful group in the hospital, I've worked in hospitals and I've been on health boards, you cannot do anything in a hospital - in spite of what other people might think they can do - administrators are sidelined, nurses are sidelined, paramedics are sidelined.

"The dominant force in Irish hospitals, and probably the world over, but I certainly know about Ireland, are consultants. If you are going to make changes in the health service you have to with the consultants, otherwise it won't work."

Consultants today said patient care will not be affected by their proposed strike action next month.

An emergency meeting of 450 Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) delegates yesterday called for a vote on the issue after the Government advertised 68 new consultants' jobs throughout the State.

The doctors' representative bodies say they will refuse to cooperate with the interview process for the jobs, because the terms and conditions were not agreed with them.

IHCA members also passed a motion of no confidence in Minister for Health Mary Harney, who they accused of interfering in talks with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

IHCA president Dr Mary McCaffrey today accused Ms Harney of interfering in the long-running talks chaired by barrister Mark Connaughton.

"If we go back to the table we have to know that the goalposts will not keep changing and that the Minister for Health will stop interfering in the process from a distance and that we will be allowed to continue the negotiations and that pressurised deadlines that are inappropriate will not be imposed on us," Dr McCaffrey said.

She said the decision to withdraw from the talks and to ballot for industrial action had not been "taken lightly" and that "political interference" in the industrial relations process had led the consultants to this point.

Dr McCaffrey said the campaign of action by consultants would initially involve non-cooperation in the interview process for the new consultant positions advertised by the HSE.

The 68 new consultants' jobs were advertised in newspapers last Thursday.

"It would be disingenuous of us to get involved in interviewing for jobs that none of us ourselves would want to apply for because we wouldn't see them as being of the same standard as our own jobs," Dr McCaffrey said.

Dr McCaffrey appealed to consultants applying for the posts to take a long-term view of their careers, and to hold out until a better contract is negotiated.

"It is not going to be intimidation. We are not going to advise people. We will make them aware of the facts. We will show them the contract that is being presented," she added.

She insisted the consultants' action would not affect patients.

"We will not undertake any action that will involve disrupting patient care. The doctor patient relationship is supreme. We will not interfere with patient care. Each consultant has an ethical obligation under Medical Council guidelines to offer appropriate care to patients and we will not interfere with that."

IHCA members will vote later this month on proposed industrial action to take place on May 21st.

Meanwhile, the Irish Medical Organisation today published a document outlining reasons why, it said, doctors should not apply for the new consultant positions.

Entitled 'Don't be Fooled - Ten Reasons to Refuse to Apply for HSE Positions', the document claims the HSE is seeking to recruit consultants on "imposed contractual terms".

"The decision of the HSE and the Minister for Health and Children to proceed with this recruitment campaign has effectively collapsed crucial talks on a revision of the common contract for consultants", said Mr Fintan Hourihan, IMO director of industrial relations.

"The IMO believes these talks can resume if we receive an undertaking that these posts will be filled on agreed contractual terms."

The IMO said it will hold a national meeting for specialist registrar members in Dublin on Saturday.