Taoiseach criticises consultants

The Taoiseach has criticised the Irish Hospital Consultant Association's campaign of action which begins today, saying: “For people to be threatening to withdraw service from patients over insurance issues is not acceptable.”

The IHCA is expressing its opposition to a new insurance scheme being introduced by Health Minister Micheál Martin.

The consultants will withdraw from administrative duties from this morning and have threatened to only provide emergency cover if the minister does not scrap his insurance reforms within three weeks.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association said Mr Martin’s new insurance scheme would leave doctors without cover for past negligence claims.