The Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said that he is disappointed and he believes that patients are the real victims after doctors rejected a new proposal to end a pay dispute.
It is understood that the countries top hospital consultants overwhelmingly voted to reject a new proposal to end a pay dispute.
The IMO strongly believes the plan, to reduce pay of new entrants by 30%, would create a two-tier system for doctors working side-by-side.
Although consultants have demanded equal pay for equal work, they also warn that the HSE’s proposal could cause a crisis because of the lack of manpower.
Minister Varadkar made a statement regarding the issue in which he said: “The result is very disappointing. The proposed salary scale ranging from €127,000 to €175,000 is very good by any reckoning. “ I believe that the real losers today are the patients. Mr Varadkar also said that “the Government will now have to consider its options in filling the consultant vacancies.”