Consultants and junior doctor members of the the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) have warned that reduced consultant pay is forcing doctors to seek work outside the country.

The two groups in the IMO said Government policy was directly responsible for driving consultants away from the Irish health service.

Pay for new entrant consultants was cut by 30% to around €116,000 in 2012. Consultants in post prior to then earn higher salaries, but have also been subject to pay cuts.

The consultant and junior doctor groups of the IMO claimed consultants were being driven away by 'uncompetitive pay scales' on the one hand, and by a 'hostile, chaotic working environment' on the other.

They warned that if the system loses its consultant base, the health service will start collapsing from the inside and patients will suffer.

It has been reported that difficulties are currently being experienced in attracting applicants for vacant consultant posts.

IMO Consultant Committee Chairman Prof Trevor Duffy said consultants were voting with their feet by leaving the country in unprecedented numbers as they know the salaries for vacant jobs here will be uncompetitive and their working conditions will be intolerable.

Health Minister James Reilly and the HSE are considering increasing the current salaries of newly-appointed consultants in order to make them more attractive to applicants.