Health agency loggerheads with IMO

The Health Services Employers Agency has rejected claims by the Irish Medical Organisation that an agreement reached last year with doctors has not been implemented.

At its Annual General Conference in County Kerry today, the IMO threatened strike action unless pay and long working hours for junior doctors were properly addressed.

The chief executive of the Health Services Employers Agency Gerard Barry has described the position of the IMO as "extraordinary", and says the payment of overtime is where the two sides differ greatly.