The strike by the country's junior hospital doctors is set to go ahead tomorrow, with thousands of patients having their operations and outpatient appointments cancelled.

The doctors' union, the IMO, could not be persuaded to return to the negotiating table following the breakdown of talks a week ago, so a one-day strike of junior doctors will start at midnight tonight, with hospitals providing Sunday cover.

The dispute is over excessive hours worked by junior doctors. While some progress had been made in the talks, a major sticking point had been how to impose sanctions on hospitals that exceed planned limits on continuous shifts worked by doctors.

The IMO is also angry at the HSE's tactics in the dispute last weekt week and claims there has been a breakdown of trust with the health executive.

Hospitals are still expected to provide emergency, cancer and kidney dialysis services tomorrow.

The IMO has said there is no basis for returning to talks at this stage.

Meanwhile, the IMO has decided to postpone an inquiry into its internal finances due to the costs involved.

The probe was set up after it emerged that its former Chief Executive, George McNeice had been provided with a retirement package of around €10 million.

The inquiry was postponed despite the fact that IMO members mandated the organisation to go ahead with it at an extraordinary general meeting earlier this year.

The IMO has pointed out that it already faces substantial costs in a forthcoming court case involving the Competition Authority on the question of whether the union under competition law can negotiate fees on behalf of GPs.

This case is expected to be head in the High Court early in the new year.

Time to end junior doctor stand-off