Harney to address IMO conference in Killarney today

The Tánaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney is due to address the Irish Medical Organisation's annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, today.

Ms Harney is in dispute with the organisation over her planned introduction of so-called doctor-only medical cards.

The IMO has instructed its members not to co-operate with the move because it believes the legislation paving the way for the new cards alters their existing contracts under the medical card scheme.

Doctors are demanding consultation and negotiation before they comply, but speaking yesterday, Ms Harney appeared to suggest that this would not happen.

"We cannot have prolonged and protracted negotiations before we innovate on healthcare," she said.

"We established the National Treatment Purchase Fund without any consultation with anyone.

"It has been highly successful [and] if we had entered a phase of negotiations with interested persons perhaps it wouldn't even have been established today."