The Irish Hospital Consultants' Association has expressed disappointment at the withdrawal of the Health Service Executive from talks on reforms and cost-savings.
The IHCA said progress was being made and the discussions had ended prematurely.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, IHCA General Secretary Martin Varley said his members wanted to continue the discussions as long as was needed and had hoped to bring them to a successful conclusion.
He said they needed to know how the State intended to reconfigure hospital services and the number of consultants that would be needed to deliver care at weekends.
Mr Varley said that the State was attempting to ''tear up'' contracts they had agreed with consultants a number of years ago to cover non-payments for years of working weekends and longer hours.
The HSE has asked for the intervention of the Labour Relations Commission following the breakdown of the talks.
The matter could eventually result in a binding decision from the Labour Court.
Yesterday, the HSE said agreement on consultants reforms was an essential component in their overall health reform.
The HSE had tabled weekend rostering for hospital consultants.
It is also seeking a lower paid entry grade for consultants and the elimination of massive back logs of overtime known as historic leave.
