Harney holding further talks with hospital consultants

Minister for Health Mary Harney is holding more talks with hospital consultants today in an effort to resolve the long-running row over the introduction of new contracts.

Ms Harney met the Irish Medical Organisation earlier this week and is due to hold talks today with representatives of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association.

The two groups have so far failed to reach agreement with the HSE about plans to end the situation whereby consultants can treat private patients in public hospitals.

IHCA members have been refusing to attend certain hospital meetings because of Ms Harney's decision to press ahead with hiring new consultants on the contentious contracts.

However, it has suspended the action to allow for today's talks to go ahead.

Ms Harney says she wants to end the deadlock in the contract negotiations, but it is unclear if she is putting any new proposals forward in an effort to achieve a breakthrough.