Minister urges consultants to defer action

The Minister for Health has urged hospital consultants to defer their planned industrial action.

The Minister for Health, Micheál Martin, has urged hospital consultants to defer their planned industrial action.

The consultants are planning on withdrawing from the national treatment purchase fund on Monday next.

The withdrawal is an escalation of their action, in protest at changes in insurance cover.

Minister Micheál Martin has urged consultants to re-think their plan while his Department is continuing its efforts to resolve the outstanding issue of historical liabilities.