Tuesday 3 July 2018.  The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has described the continued pay differential between Consultants in Ireland employed before and after 2012 as a “grossly unfair discrimination which differentiates between colleagues purely on the basis of the date on which they were hired”.  The President of the IMO, Dr. Peadar Gilligan, said that the pay differential was directly leading to a shortage of consultants for Hospitals across the country and longer waiting lists for patients.

From 1^st October, 2012 the Government unilaterally imposed a cut of 30% in the pay for any Consultants hired after that date.  As a result, Consultants hired to work in Ireland since 2012 (including Consultants who have been given new contracts since then but who worked here prior to that year) faced a cut of 30% compared to their colleagues for doing the exact same work.  The issue has fed a deepening morale crisis amongst young Irish Consultants with increased numbers emigrating to work in other countries and over 400 unfilled Consultant posts across the country.

The IMO hosted a special meeting on 2^nd July for Consultants impacted by the issue.  Speaking at the meeting, Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr. Anthony O’Connor, said that the pay differential cannot be justified and must be reversed: “The introduction of this differential and its focus only on newly employed Consultants was one of the most corrosive measures of that time.   It has poisoned morale amongst the next generation of Consultants and is directly leading to our inability to fill vacant posts which is irresponsible in a time when over 700,000 people are waiting for hospital appointments.  The Taoiseach in 2014 made a firm commitment to restoring pay parity and he needs to take personal responsibility for moving on it”

The IMO is committed to continuing to fight for the reversal of this pay cut for Consultants employed since 2012 and has committed to exploring legal, industrial relations and other avenues to make their case.