Hospital consultants - Prolonging the impasse will be futile

The ultimatum issued by Health Minister Mary Harney to consultants yesterday may reflect the Government’s frustration, and that of the public, at the total impasse on hospital consultants’ contracts, but in the meantime it is patients who have to endure the consequences of this long, drawn-out dispute.

She has warned them that unless there is a dramatic change in attitude over the weekend, she will bring proposals to Government the week after next to deal with the impasse.

Presumably, her megaphone diplomacy was aimed at members of the Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA) who are holding an extraordinary general meeting tomorrow.