HSE told to prepare for doctor strike

The HSE has been told it should start making arrangements for junior doctors to go on strike.

The Irish Medical Organisation says the HSE has not come up with concrete proposals for how to end the long working hours of non-consultant doctors.

It said that it is setting up a national strike committee while it ballots its members on whether to walk out of work.

The organisation says Ireland is in clear breach of EU rules on working hours by regularly forcing junior doctors to work for 24 hours at a time.