Harney to meet hospital consultants

Health Minister Mary Harney has today agreed to meet with hospital consultants to discuss what they claim is a breach of their working contracts.

Following on from the Budget, consultants on €200,000 will have their wages slashed by 15%.

But they claim some doctors will actually take a 30% cut because of the Minister's failure to implement the terms of their new contracts.

The Irish Hospital Consultant's Association is meeting this afternoon ahead of next Tuesday's discussions with Mary Harney.