HSE begins advertising contentious new consultant posts

The Health Service Executive has today begun advertising new consultant posts under contracts that have still not been agreed with existing hospital doctors.

Minister for Health Mary Harney has told the executive to press ahead with filling the posts following its failure to secure agreement on the new contracts during protracted talks with consultant groups.

The Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association have both said they will not be co-operating with the recruitment process and have urged doctors not to apply for the jobs.

They say the stand-off is not about money and they are mainly concerned about the HSE's moves to insert a gagging clause in the new contracts that would prevent consultants from speaking publicly if they have concerns about the health service.