Consultants to vote on industrial action in contracts row

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association is to ballot its members this week on a campaign of non-co-operation with hospital management.

The decision was made an extraordinary general meeting of the association in Dublin over the weekend.

The ballot is the latest development in the row over the Government's plan to introduce new contracts for consultants.

Last week, the IHCA walked out of talks on the matter following Minister for Health Mary Harney's decision to advertise the new posts despite the lack of agreement with existing doctors.

Ms Harney has described the decision to hold a ballot on industrial action as counter-productive and has called on the consultants to return to the talks.