Talks have concluded between health service managers and hospital consultants on new working arrangements – but they’ve failed to reach agreement on the issue of pay for new consultants, as well as rest days.
The Government will now proceed with a 30 per cent pay cut for new consultants – despite the fact that the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and the Irish Medical Organisation say they don’t agree with the decision.
It means new consultants will earn 50-thousand euro less than those currently working.
The issue of rest days will be referred to the Labour Court.
However, agreement was reached on a number of other issues – including rosters and new working arrangements for clinical directors.
National Director for Human Resources at the HSE, Barry O’Brien, says the pay cut for new consultants is going ahead immediately – regardless of the failure to reach an agreement:
