The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) is to decide today whether to go ahead with a review into the events that led to its former chief executive, George McNeice, retiring with a settlement package worth nearly €10 million in late 2012.

The 5,000 IMO members have been balloting on the issue over recent weeks and a result is due this evening.

In early 2013, an egm of members voted to carry out a retrospective review. A year ago the IMO’s governing council decided to defer the planned review amid concerns at the potential costs as well as legal ramifications.

The IMO’s annual conference in April decided to put the issue to a vote by the full membership.

However, in the run-up to the ballot the IMO’s leadership warned that the review could cost the organisation €1 million or more.

A circular that accompanied the ballot paper said there was a strong possibility of a legal challenge to prevent the review.