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Three of the 68
controversial hospital consultant posts advertised
by the Department of Health in recent days are based
at Letterkenny Hospital.
The Letterkenny appointments being sought are
consultant rheumatologist and general physician;
consultant general adult psychiatrist and consultant
psychiatrist with a special interest in
rehabilitation.
Health Minister, Mary Harney sparked anger among the
country's senior hospital doctors for proceeding
with the advertisements.
They claim the Government has breached the social
partnership agreement, Towards 2016, in advertising
for the posts on terms not agreed with the union.
They have now decided to ballot for industrial
action and say they will not co-operate with the
interview process for the recruitment of new
consultants on the Government's terms.
Irish Hospital Consultants' Association President
Dr. Mary McCaffrey appealed to those who are
thinking of applying for the posts to take a
long-term view and to hold out until a better
contract is negotiated.
She told RTE that consultants would not be returning
to talks until they got a guarantee that
appointments would be on agreed terms.
Ms. Harney said the IHCA's decision to ballot
members on industrial action is counter-productive.
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