Consultants to decide today how to block new recruitment

Consultants will meet in Dublin today to decide how they will go about blocking the recruitment of new doctors.

They are pledging not to co-operate in the process because of a lack of agreement on contracts.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association walked out of talks last Monday, angry at plans by health employers to proceed with advertising 68 consultant posts.

The adverts appeared in the national press during the week.

"Our plan is that we will put the proposals to our members that they should not assist in either any element of the recruitment - principally the shortlisting of potential candidates and the interview process," said Finbarr Fitzpatrick, Secretary General of the IHCA.

"The involvement of consultants in both those elements is crucial," he said.