Public-health doctors have stepped up industrial action in a row over pay and other issues and warned that they will consider a further escalation next week.
The doctors, who are responsible for the surveillance and control of infectious diseases, are withdrawing from national committees and refusing to provide cover for colleagues. The 270 doctors, who all work in the public sector, are members of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO).
They are seeking implementation of a report published last April which recommended that they be on call around the clock to deal with threats to public health.
The report, drawn up by former Department of Education secretary-general Mr Declan Brennan, also recommended that public-health doctors get the equivalent pay of hospital consultants.
Dr Joe Barry, chairman of the IMO's public health committee, said that the committee would be meeting on Thursday of next week to review the situation.
The doctors have already given the IMO a mandate to implement strike action. Asked if this would be considered next week, Dr Barry said: "Let's see what happens before then."
The Department of Health has acknowledged that there are issues to be addressed with public-health doctors, but it says that their action is "unacceptable".
A spokeswoman for the Department said that it and the Health Service Employers' Agency had met the IMO at the Labour Relations Commission on a number of occasions and had asked it to attend talks at the Labour Court. "We continue to strongly encourage them to take that course of action," she said.
