Non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs), formerly known as junior doctors, are to be balloted for industrial action.
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) says that NCHDs are demoralised, frustrated and angry over long-standing concerns about working conditions, safe hours and routine breaches of contract.
A new survey out today shows that 40% of NCHDs have been required to work over 24 hours in one shift and that they are routinely not paid for all hours worked.
The study, which was carried out by the IMO, also shows that a high proportion of NCHDs said they were at high-risk of burnout and were dissatisfied with their work-life balance.
Dr John Cannon, chair of the NCHD committee of the IMO, has warned that industrial action by NCHDs was likely if there is not an "urgent and serious" engagement by the HSE.
"The IMO NCHD committee is launching a ballot of members to seek approval for industrial action up to and including strike action in the event that the HSE does not engage meaningfully to resolve the situation and implement much needed reform," Dr Cannon said.
"While no doctor ever wants to go out on strike, the committee feels that to allow the current situation to continue would pose a substantial and unacceptable risk to patient safety.
"The committee is therefore recommending members to vote in favour of industrial action up to and including strike action," Dr Cannon said.
The IMO today launched a new campaign to rally support for reforms for non-consultant hospital doctors.
The organisation says that 7,500 NCHDs account for two-thirds of the medical workforce in Irish hospitals.
In a statement this evening, the Department of Health said that the Minister for Health met with NCHDs last week with regard to a number of concerns they had raised.
"The department is following up on the issues raised by the NCHDs at present and will be engaging further in the coming weeks.
"This group perform a very significant role in our public health system, not least through the last two years," the statement read.
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