Doctors' strike now 'inevitable'

The head of the HSE has said that the planned strike by junior doctors tomorrow is now "inevitable".

Around 15,000 patients will be effected when non-consultant hospital doctors engage in industrial action in a row over working hours.

Surgeries and clinic appointments will be postponed, and the Irish Medical Organisation has warned the 24-hour strike could escalate if their demands on the EU Working Time Directive are not met.

Director General of the HSE Tony O'Brien has urged the IMO to return to talks at the Labour Relations Commission.

He said that the patients affected will be accommodated as soon as possible, but only if there is no further action.

"We'll seek to accommodate them as quickly as we can, but our ability to do that is dependent on a quick resolution to this dispute and there being no further withdrawal of labour," he said.

"So it's critical, even though at this point it now seems inevitable that there will be a withdrawal of labour tomorrow, avoidable but inevitable, our aim is to get the talks back on as quickly as possible, because I see absolutely no necessity, desirability or point to any further industrial action beyond tomorrow."