Hospital consultants have failed in their bid to extend the timeframe for crucial talks on major reforms and efficiencies for their grade.
This comes as intensive last ditch talks get underway.
The talks are in a bid to agree significant changes in workpractices between consultant unions and the HSE.
The HSE has warned the consultants that if talks today do not reach final agreement between the two sides directly, they will refer the matter to the Labour Relations Commission under Croke Park procedures - which could eventually result in a binding decision from the Labour Court.
In a letter to the Croke Park Implementation Body yesterday, Irish Hospital Consultants Association secretary general Martin Varley accused HSE management of refusing to allow sufficient time to negotiate complex and difficult issues.
Those issues include changes in rosters and work schedules as an alternative to pay cuts that were set out under the Programme for Government.
Management also wants to address the fact that several hundred consultants are entitled to so-called historic leave - which would give them their final year off on full pay in lieu of overtime incurred many years earlier in their careers.
In some cases, the consultants work as their own locum for the final year - and are effectively paid twice.
The consultants wanted the talks period extended for six weeks - not including the summer holiday period.
However, today the Croke Park Implementation Body has told consultants that HSE management is operating within Croke Park procedures - and that the Body will not be intervening.
Last week outgoing HSE Chief Executive Cathal Magee described negotiations with the consultants as disappointing - and progress as slow.
