The dispute between hospital consultants and the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, over a new indemnity scheme deepened yesterday.
Consultants described Mr Martin's handling of the ongoing dispute over who will indemnify them for past events as "bordering on incompetent".
However, Mr Martin dismissed the IHCA claim as "rubbish". The Irish Hospital Consultants Association began a campaign of industrial action a week ago in protest at the introduction of a new State insurance scheme, which does not cover them for past events.
Their action will be stepped up on Monday week, February 23rd, when they will provide emergency services only at all public and private hospitals.
This issue is a major concern because one of the two British companies which has insured the consultants up to now, the Medical Defence Union (MDU), has said it may not be able to cover consultants for past events because it did not take in enough in premia over the years.
It wants to transfer the liabilities to the Department of Health but has only offered €60 million in return when the liabilities could reach up to €400 million, according to the Department.
Mr Martin said yesterday he felt the IHCA strategy was fundamentally undermining the Government's attempt to protect the taxpayer from MDU liabilities.
"It seems to me the entire strategy of the consultants seems to be to bring the house down so as to force the Government to allow the MDU to walk off the pitch, thereby diverting millions of euro which could go into the health service to liabilities from the past without anybody else taking responsibility," he said.
Department of Health officials will meet representatives of the MDU in London again today to see if the MDU will make an improved offer.
Meanwhile, Mr Martin said it was unacceptable that any patient would be put at risk by the IHCA's action, but the IHCA says patients will not be at risk.
The president of the IHCA, Dr Colm Quigley, said the obligation was on both the MDU and the Minister to reach a solution. Yesterday the IHCA, which has hired a public relations firm to assist with its campaign, began advertising in the national media to highlight the plight of members. Consultants could face financial ruin, they say.
Mr Martin said he found it "amusing" that the core issue, the fact that the MDU has decided it could not meet historic claims, was "buried in small print".
Last night, the Irish Medical Organisation met the National Implementation Body (NIB) to try and find a solution to the dispute.