Letter to Taoiseach after Fianna Fail Ard Fheis Speech

9th March 2004

An Taoiseach
Mr Bertie Ahern T.D.
Department of the Taoiseach
Merrion Street
Dublin

A Thaoisigh,

I refer to your address to the opening session of the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis on Friday March 5th last, during the concluding stages of which you stated:

“It is now time for the Irish Hospital Consultants Association to return to the table and engage in these essential contract negotiations”.

I have been requested by the President of the IHCA (Dr. Colm Quigley) to clarify the position which led to the IHCA withdrawal from the contract negotiations.

At the inaugural meeting of these negotiations on November 27th last, the Chairman of our Negotiating Group stated, that in the event of the Clinical Indemnity Scheme (Enterprise Liability) being imposed by the Minister for Health & Children, Mr Micheál Martin T.D., in breach of the existing Common Contract and in breach of his written commitment of February 28th, 2003, the IHCA would withdraw from the negotiations.

Regrettably, Minister Martin imposed the new insurance scheme with effect from February 1st last.  The result of this imposition, which as I have stated was in breach of the current contract, was that the IHCA following an Extraordinary General Meeting attended by 500 members and a secret ballot, decided to embark on a 4-Stage Campaign of Action, the latter stages of which were deferred until March 15th next at the request of Minister Martin.

Negotiations are currently taking place between the Department of Health & Children and Medical Defence Union regarding historic liabilities and when these negotiations have been concluded, further discussions will need to take place between the IHCA and DOH&C to resolve other issues arising from the imposition of the Clinical Indemnity Scheme.

We have had a review meeting with the Secretary General and his colleagues in the Department of Health on Tuesday March 2nd last.  A further review is scheduled to take place with Minister Martin on Thursday March 11th.  We have advised the Secretary General that we need to have evidence of real and substantial progress in the negotiations with the MDU for our next National Council meeting which is scheduled to take place on Saturday March 20th.

The IHCA will not resume contract negotiations until the difficulties which have arisen as a result of the clear breach of the current contract by the Minister for Health & Children have been resolved to our reasonable satisfaction.  Following resolution of these difficulties, the IHCA will resume the contract negotiations and will participate constructively in the general reform of the health services.

Yours sincerely

_________________
Finbarr Fitzpatrick
Secretary General