IMO to sue HSE over ‘living-out’ pay

The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is to sue the HSE in a dispute over the non-payment of a living-out allowance to approximately 3,000 junior hospital doctors.

The doctors’ union issued a statement last night saying it is taking legal action on behalf of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs), including interns, senior house officers, and registrars, whom it argues are entitled to a living-out allowance of €3,182 per annum.

The union says payment of the allowance to doctors in public hospitals, which is set out in their employment contract, formed part of a settlement of a High Court case in January 2010.