Hospital crisis - Industrial action can be averted

The prospect of industrial action by the country’s hospital consultants loomed with the eight-to-one majority decision yesterday by members of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) in favour of action.

Almost inevitably, their colleagues in the Irish Hospital Consultant Association (IHCA) will follow suit in a ballot of members over the next two weeks, which looks likely to eventuate after their emergency general meeting tomorrow.

A complicated issue became even more so when late yesterday afternoon the British-based Medical Defence Union (MDU), a critical party, withdrew from negotiations with the Government.