Chairman’s negotiating skills help to seal new contract

LIKELY agreement on a new consultants’ contract after almost five years of talks is a tribute to the painstaking negotiating skills of independent chairman and barrister Mark Connaughton, who is tipped to be a judge soon.

When Mr Connaughton was appointed by Health Minister Mary Harney in 2005, he expected his role would be completed within months and he could return to his day job in the Four Courts.

However, gruelling discussions dragged on month after month — as several deadlines came and went — in an attempt to carve out an agreement between all parties.