Hospital doctors are being balloted for industrial action in an effort to force the government to reduce long working hours. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) says Non Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) are routinely required to work shifts of more than 24 hours in a row.

The shifts, which the IMO says put patients lives at risk, are illegal under EU law.

The body says the ballot is "a major escalation" in the '24 No More' campaign launched last month, which aims to stop the HSE forcing NCHDs to routinely work shifts of more than 24 hours at a time.

The IMO says "These unsafe shifts are in breach of the EU Working Time Directive and a blatant breach of employment contracts negotiated by the IMO with the HSE".

"Ireland is obliged to comply with EU law in regard to working hours but, due to the lack of progress by the HSE on reducing working hours for NCHDs, the Irish taxpayer is facing fines from the EU. The HSE has been aware of its obligations in this regard for four years" it adds.

The IMO says that Ireland and Greece are the only EU countries that have not fully implemented the Directive.

The directive limits the working week of NCHDs to a maximum of 48 hours and prohibits the practice of them working 36-hour continuous shifts.

IMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations is Eric Young.

Newstalk Breakfast have published an audio diary of junior doctor Libby Ennis