Only patients will suffer if doctors strike, says Minister

The Health Minister has said that the only people who will suffer if junior doctors strike is the patients.

James Reilly has urged them to return to talks at the Labour Relations Commission, aimed at averting strike action next week.

He said that he understands the concerns of junior doctors over their long working hours, but the action, planned for next Tuesday, will hurts patients, not management.

"It's only the patient who's going to suffer as a consequence of cancelling that hip operation that somebody's been lying waiting for," he said.

"It's only that patient who will be hurt because they failed to get to the outpatients to have a deteriorating condition reviewed.

"I would hope that they would be able to come back to the LRC and to examine what's on the table and avoid this action."