Public health specialists will ballot for industrial action if a deal with the Government on their consultant contracts is not agreed by November 30. This is despite repeated assurances this year from health chiefs that consultant status for public health specialists is a “priority” issue. A spokesperson said: “The minister and the department are committed to consultant status for public health specialists. However, despite public health specialists taking on the extra work ahead of schedule, they did not get the extra pay they were promised. Public health doctors earn €113,000 a year, while consultants earn up to between €195,000 and €199,000.

Source: Irish Examiner October 23, 2020 19:30 UTC