Consultants refuse to co-operate with hiring of new doctors

Consultants are pledging not to co-operate with the process or recruiting hospital doctors on contentious new contracts.

The vow was made today by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association following yesterday's decision to withdraw from negotiations on the new contracts.

The IHCA has pulled out of the talks following Minister for Health Mary Harney's decision to press ahead with hiring doctors on the new contracts regardless of the outcome of the negotiations.

The association is insisting that the continuing dispute has nothing to do with money and their main problem is a "gagging clause" in the new contract, preventing doctors from speaking to the media if they have concerns about the health service.

It also says it wants to ensure that the hiring of new doctors is properly resourced and structured to ensure the public benefits from the move.