The dispute between public health doctors, the Health Service Employers Agency and the Department of Health, about to enter its fourth week, remained deadlocked last night.
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) denounced the failure of the Department of Health and Children to table any proposals at the exploratory talks convened by the chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC), Mr Kieran Mulvey on Thursday.
Dr Joe Barry, president of the IMO said: "It is particularly alarming that no attempt was made by the employer side to table any proposals to resolve this dispute in view of the repeated calls from the Government on the IMO to attend third party talks."
A spokesperson for the Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA) told The Irish Times it was disappointed with the LRC outcome, "but the stumbling block is the IMO's fixation with a pay comparison with hospital consultants . The agency is prepared to move towards an accommodation with the IMO on other items on the agenda, for example, the implementation of the Brennan report and the out-of-hours issue."
It is understood that the proceedings at the LRC made no real progress. Both sides made presentations to the commission following which commission staff entered into discussions with the employers side. However, an IMO spokesperson said no firm proposals were made to it throughout the day.
IMO sources said last night that it had been advised both publicly and privately that a genuine attempt would be made at such talks to resolve the dispute.
Responding to reported calls yesterday from the Minister for Health and Children for both sides to return to the LRC, Dr Barry said: "This suggestion is an abuse of the industrial relations system and will only anger those doctors who were clearly brought to the LRC under false pretences in view of the failure of the Department to table any proposals."