A possible breakthrough in the public health doctors' dispute emerged last night, with the publication of an adjudication board's report recommending pay increases.
The adjudicators are recommending that the public health directors and specialists receive an 11 per cent pay increase from July 1997, with a further 2 per cent increase from July 1999.
Senior area medical officers and area medical officers have been recommended a 8.5 per cent increase from July 1997 and a further 2 per cent increase from July 1999. They will also get two long-service increments valued at €1,250 each which are backdated to July 1997.
After three years on the top of their scale, medical officers would be given their first long-service increment. A second long-service increment would be awarded three years after that.
A continued medical education grant of €1,500 - previously valued at £500 - will also be given to public health doctors.
In addition to the pay increases, agreement was also reached on grading structures.
The Irish Medical Organisation's strike committee met yesterday evening to consider the adjudicators' report and adjourned last night without any decision. "We are considering the findings of the adjudicators' report, the proposals from the Labour Relations Commission and the issues between the IMO and the HSEA regarding the implementation of the Brennan review," said the IMO industrial relations officer, Mr Fintan Hourihan.
"These are all additional aspects and we are giving it due consideration," he said.
When asked about the initial reaction by the IMO, Mr Hourihan said it was too early to comment and their primary concern was to brief their members.
"We're anxious that members be informed," he said.
The IMO meeting will continue this morning, and an announcement is expected later today.
A spokesman from the Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA) said they considered it a "balanced adjudication" which "upholds the integrity of benchmarking".
The HSEA are hopeful of a resolution to the 10-week dispute by the end of the week.
"We would hope the IMO would accept the adjudication and that the public health doctors would return to work," the spokesman said.