Consultants may start work-to-rule

Further industrial action could be looming in the health service following Minister for Health Mary Harney's move to hire new consultants on contracts that have not been agreed with their unions.

Further industrial action could be looming in the health service after Minister for Health Mary Harney's confirmed her plans to hire new consultants on contracts that have not been agreed with their unions.

The Health Service Executive has been in protracted negotiations with consultant groups about the new contracts, but the two sides have failed to reach agreement.