The dispute at Waterford Regional Hospital has been suspended.
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), which is representing junior doctors in dispute over new roster arrangements at the hospital, said they had called off their industrial action until Tuesday, pending the outcome of talks expected to begin today.
The discussions between the IMO and Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA) are expected to be chaired by the Labour Relations Commission. Yesterday's announcement followed the HSEA’s agreement to suspend the new roster pending the outcome of the talks.
The dispute at Waterford Regional entered its second day yesterday with 16 operations and 18 out-patient appointments cancelled.
The South Eastern Health Board described the situation as "very difficult" after junior doctors withdrew from non-essential and non-cancer-related treatments yesterday. Scheduled dialysis and maternity outpatient clinics and the coronary care unit operated as normal today.
The IMO says the new rosters will mean less training for the doctors who work alongside consultants. But the HSEA claims the doctors' action is an attempt to protect their considerable overtime earnings.
If the weekend talks fail, then the work-to-rule will resume on Tuesday, the same day a three-day dispute at Tullamore General is due to begin.