Public health doctors to mount hospital pickets

Striking public health doctors are due to place pickets on a number of health board hospitals today as part of their campaign for improved pay and conditions.

Around 200 doctors attached to Ireland's health boards have been on strike for four weeks as part of a dispute with health service employers.

The doctors are seeking pay parity with consultants for working weekends and nights and have accused the Department of Health of failing to implement a nine-year-old agreement addressing the matter.

Irish Medical Organisation spokesman Fintan Hourihane said the new pickets were designed to raise awareness of the strike among employees in health board hospitals and not to disrupt hospital services.