Minister for Health Mary Harney has warned that time is running out on a bid to agree a new contract for hospital consultants.
Speaking today after yesterday's vote by the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) to go back into talks with health service employers on a new contract for its members, Ms Harney said there could not be "endless talks".
Minister for Health Mary Harney
The IHCA yesterday voted to go back into talks but simultaneously voted no confidence in the Health Service Executive (HSE) at an extraordinary general meeting in Dublin. The body insisted the talks would have to resume without preconditions.
"Obviously the HSE are seeking clarification in relation to yesterday's vote," Ms Harney said.
"But I have a different agenda. I have to pursue Government policy, and I will be bringing to the Government on Tuesday week an outline timetable and timeframe for the introduction of a new contract for new consultants coming into the Irish healthcare system."
Asked whether the talks could proceed, Ms Harney said: "Talking is always good, but we can't have endless talks and I am still committed to bringing to the Cabinet on Tuesday week a timeframe and the outline details of a new contract of employment for Government approval.
"We can put coalition governments together in two weeks, as the Tánaiste said yesterday, and we've been nearly two years talking around the table where no progress has been made," she added.
"And certainly time is running out. We haven't got endless time. We want to employ new consultants into the Irish healthcare system over the next number of years, up to 1,500, 1,600 more consultants.
"There are certain areas where there are huge shortages and long waiting times for patients because of the manpower shortages, and I have a duty and the Government have a duty to implement our policy in that regard and to put down a firm timeframe. And it's not about being unreasonable, it's about a firm sense of purpose," Ms Harney said.
Last week, the Minister indicated she may go ahead unilaterally with plans to reform access to hospitals for public patients and appoint hundreds of extra medical consultants on new contracts.
The talks with the IHCA stalled over the Government's plan to issue new 'public only' contracts for consultants. The new consultants' contract a key element of the Government's plans to reform the healthcare system.
Consultants appointed to any new contract would not be allowed to see fee-paying patients in off-site private hospitals, but would be paid a significantly higher salary to take account of this loss of earnings.