Consultants hopeful on contract talks

CONSULTANTS are optimistic that stalled negotiations with the Health Service Executive on a new contract could be back on track within weeks.

Secretary general of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, Finbarr Fitzpatrick, said there was “a degree of optimism” that IHCA national council would accept new proposals for a resumption of the talks at their annual conference in Mullingar this weekend.

Contract talks broke down last February when the HSE unilaterally decided to abolish ‘off-site’ consultant private practice rights.