Agreement reached in junior doctors' dispute

Non Consultant Hospital Doctor members of the Irish Medical Organisation have voted by 76% in support of settlement proposals negotiated under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission.

The dispute cantered around long working hours, with many NCHDs working shifts of over 24 hours and weeks in excess of 100 hours.

In September, around 3,000 non consultant doctors withdrew their services from Irish hospitals in a one-day strike to protest over the issue.

The Non Consultant Hospital Doctors members of the Irish Medical Organisation completed their ballot on proposals earlier today.

The HSE agreed to deadlines in eliminating shifts over 24 hours and implementing European working time regulations.

The Director of Industrial Relations at the IMO, Steve Tweed, has warned that if the HSE fails to honour its commitment on the issue the IMO will escalate the campaign.

"Any failure by the HSE to meet the deadlines contained in the proposals will see a prompt escalation of this campaign and a return to industrial action," he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, has welcomed the outcome of the ballot.

The Minister says he will continue to pursue other issues of concern to NCHDs and will be meeting with the Chair of the national group next week which he set up to examine these issues.