The result of a ballot for industrial action by consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors is expected to be known later today.
It is being held by the Irish Medical Organisation over what it says is pay inequality faced by recently appointed consultants and a demand for measures to deal with the recruitment and retention of consultants.
If doctors vote for action, there would be no industrial action until next year.
Medical organisations have suggested that the pay difference between established and new consultants appointed since October 2012 can be about €50,000 less a year.
Around 3,500 doctors are involved in the ballot.
In October, the first round of talks between the IMO and Department of Health ended with doctors expressing frustration with the outcome.
Recently, Minister for Health Simon Harris promised to table new proposals to consultants.
Last week, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said full pay equality would be given to consultants if they agreed to working in the public service only and not in private practice.
The recent independent review group report, chaired by Dr Donal de Buitléir, recommended the introduction of a SláinteCare public only contract for new consultants.
It also recommended that pay for new entrant consultants appointed since 2012 be restored to the rate that applied before October 2012, to deal with the recruitment problems.
It proposed that existing consultants be offered a 'contract change payment' to move to the new public only SláinteCare consultant contract.
