A MEDIATOR is expected to be appointed within days to iron out final differences between the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) over new contracts for hospital consultants.
There are still differences between the sides over pensions, salaries for academic consultants such as professors and lecturers, and over shift working.
The IMO called at the weekend for a mediator to be appointed to resolve these issues after the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) recommended to its members that they accept the new contracts on offer from the HSE. The IHCA said it was making the recommendation on the basis that it had been given a commitment that issues still in dispute would be resolved before balloting of its members begins next Monday.
The IHCA, which represents about 80 per cent of practising consultants, will meet the HSE today in an attempt to resolve outstanding issues.
As of now the top salary which will be offered under the new contracts to consultants who work exclusively in the public sector is €240,000, while professors are being offered a maximum of €280,000. However, the unions are seeking €300,000 a year for some professors.
Minister for Health Mary Harney, who is due to meet the IHCA next week, said yesterday she welcomed the fact that it had recommended to its members that they accept the new contracts.
She also indicated she would be happy to ask Mark Connaughton SC, who chaired the substantive talks between the HSE and the consultant representative bodies, to get involved again to mediate between the IMO and the HSE on outstanding issues.
Fintan Hourihan, the IMO's director of industrial relations, said he welcomed this as a final deal was not going to be reached in direct talks with the HSE.
Ms Harney said 120 consultants would be recruited on the basis of the new contracts in coming months.