The HSE says it will go ahead with the implementation of revised higher pay rates for newly-appointed consultants from next week, despite the collapse of Labour Relations Commission (LRC) talks between health management and the IMO on the matter.

While the new salary rates provide for a substantial pay increase on current new entrant consultant pay rates, the IMO claimed the HSE was 'not serious' about tackling the recruitment crisis for consultants in the Irish health services.

The HSE said following three months of negotiations between management and the IMO, the LRC had issued a series of proposals regarding consultant pay and career structure.

The HSE says it now intends to recruit consultant posts based on the new pay scale proposed by the LRC, which comes into effect from September 1. The new pay rates are intended to redress the 30% pay cut for newly-entrant consultants imposed in 2012, which the IMO says has discouraged doctors from taking up consultant posts.

Under the new pay rates, consultants who were appointed after September 2012 and who are appointed in future will receive basic salaries of between €105,000 and €190,000, depending on experience, performance, type of post and level of private practice. The pay rates do not provide for back-pay to September 2012.

Some new entrant consultants with relevant experience could start at around €150,000 under the new rates.

Consultants will receive extra allowances for on-call and emergency work on top of basic salaries.

Under the pay rates for new entrants introduced in September 2012, maximum pay for new entrant consultants was around €120,000. Most consultants appointed prior to that date would earn higher salaries for public hospital work - the new rates for new entrants would considerably close the gap between the pay rates of pre-September 2012 consultants and consultants appointed after that date.

The health executive said the LRC proposals give full regard to the relevant experience of doctors returning from abroad or currently in the Irish health system and ensure that such experience influences where doctors are placed on the new pay scale.

"Health service management believes that the proposals are comprehensive in dealing with and advancing the issue of career structure and associated pay rates for consultants. Implementation of the LRC proposals will help to ensure that the Irish health system is in a position to recruit consultants and ensure it continues to deliver a high quality and safe service for patients."

However, IMO Industrial Relations Director Steve Tweed said the new pay proposals would not solve current problems.

"The reality is that our doctors see better jobs with better pay and better conditions in various markets across the world and they are voting with their feet."

He said the IMO would be willing to re-engage in talks if the HSE could demonstrate that it was prepared to work with the IMO to tackle the problem.

The IMO is reported to have had concerns about performance reviews in the proposals.