The annual meeting of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) that begins today is expected to be dominated by the protracted dispute over new hospital consultant contracts.
An updated draft contract was tabled by employers during talks between the medical representative bodies and the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Tuesday. However, sources in the IMO said the document is not detailed enough to put to a conference vote this weekend in Killarney.
The organisation's consultant committee will discuss the document tomorrow night, and it will be debated by the full consultant membership on Saturday.
The IMO is unlikely to announce a withdrawal from negotiations at the weekend. But a proposal in the draft to introduce a 70/30 public/private mix for existing consultants will be rejected by the organisation.
The organisation, which represents the majority of consultants and doctors in the State, will debate some 200 motions including the HSE's efforts to save over €300 million this year.
IMO president Paul Gilvarry said yesterday that members were in "despair" over the impact management of the health service was having on patients.
"Doctors cannot be blamed for inadequate financial planning and any attempt to cut services in an effort to meet arbitrary budgetary targets should not be tolerated by anyone who works in teh heath service," she said.
The issue is likely to dominate today's agenda.
There will also be A motion calling on the Minister for Finance to increase the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes by €2 in the next budget is likely to be passed.
Members will also be asked to support a motion asking the Minister for Health Mary Harney to extend legislation on protecting people from passive smoking to include children travelling in cars.
Ms Harney is due to address the meeting on Saturday.