The Department of Health and the Health Services Employers Agency (HSEA) have "one week to engage in meaningful talks" with public health doctors before a nationwide strike begins on April 14th, according to the Irish Medical Organisation.
The public health doctors committee of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) issued notice of strike action by over 270 doctors "following the refusal by the Department of Health and Children to abide by an agreement reached nine years ago".
IMO vice-president and chairman of the public health committee, Dr Joe Barry, told The Irish Times that "doctors all over the country in health boards and the National Disease Surveillance Centre who are currently on a work-to-rule" would go on strike "until we get resolution from the Minister for Health".
"This was not a decision taken lightly. The failure of the HSEA to engage in meaningful negotiations has forced doctors to serve notice of strike action," said Dr Barry.
"All infections usually quietly taken care of will go unmonitored, such as meningitis, food-poisoning, the winter vomiting bug, waterborne diseases and more recently the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)," he said.
The HSEA "need to enter into some meaningful talks" he said, adding that "they've one week to do it now".
The move was described as "most unnecessary and unwarranted" by the HSEA. "We are obviously very disappointed. The IMO have embarked on industrial action without exhausting all the industrial relations machinery," said Mr Brendan Mulligan of the HSEA.
"If they are serious about resolving this, they will confirm their attendance at the Labour Relations Commission," he said.
"We are very concerned and no doubt the strike will cause considerable anxiety to the general public at a time of emerging new health risks," he added.