The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is warning hospital consultants that they cannot pick and choose the parts of the Croke Park deal that suit them.

Brendan Howlin says the government expects consultants to attend talks at the Labour Court on Thursday on new contracts.

This is despite claims by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) that they will not attend.

The IHCA says consultants have individual contracts and therefore the union cannot negotiate on their behalf.

But the Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned any consultants that do not turn up that they could face pay cuts.

Minister Howlin says unions cannot sign up to the elements of Croke Park that protect them and exclude themselves from the parts that challenge them.