Negotiations involving the Health Service Executive and hospital consultants are expected to get under way in the near future following last night's breakthrough in the row on talks over new contracts.
The Board of the HSE said it had accepted an approach from the independent talks chairman, Mark Connaughton, to enter unconditional negotiations with doctors, for a defined period.
The HSE decision to agree to resume talks with consultants on a new contract means that the scene is now set for all sides to re-enter negotiations.
Those talks will be unconditional, and for a set period of around six weeks.
Both the HSE and the consultant medical organisations will be required to table written submissions on their respective positions, before the first plenary session.
It is clear that the position adopted by Minister for Health Mary Harney in recent days concentrated the minds of consultants and the HSE, given that both were blamed by the talks chairman for the lack of progress since 2005.
The minister is still expected to bring plans to Cabinet next week on new contracts, but these will accommodate a set timetable for a deal to be agreed.
