IMO says junior doctors are at crisis point

The Irish Medical Organisation has said junior doctors are at crisis point - working unsafe hours in hospitals.

The IMO said non-consultant hospital doctors regularly have to work shifts of 24 hours or longer - putting them and patients at risk.

The Organisation is to ballot its members on industrial action - with a result expected on September 2nd.

Eric Young from the IMO said that doctors are desperate.

"Doctors do not wish to take industrial action they have reached the end of their tether in terms of there has been so much talk and so little action," he said.

"They now recognise that the only way things are going to change is if they take industrial action

"We will do our best to make sure that any kind of action taken will minimise the effect on patients but at the same time will make the point that the system needs to change."