End of doctors' dispute in sight

The Irish Medical Organisation is recommending to its members to accept LRC proposals aimed at resolving the dispute over junior doctors working hours.

The recommendations set out that hospitals could face financial penalties if they allow any junior doctor to work more than 24 hours in a single shift.

The HSE has committed to eliminating 24-hour shifts by next January and says it will implement the EU working time directive for junior doctors by the end of 2014.

Around 3,000 junior doctors attached to the IMO staged a one-day strike earlier this month - in protest against excessive working hours.

IMO members are to be balloted in the coming days.