Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

My final question is for Mr. Reid. It concerns several statements over the weekend by two unions, namely the Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO. Their statements were about the long working hours of their members. They expressed concerns over overcrowding in accident and emergency units and safe working conditions, not only for the members but also for the public. The IMO made the extraordinary statement that 97% of its junior doctor members will vote for possible strike action. The European working time directive is being breached consistently and the doctors are working illegal hours. It is unacceptable in a public health system that junior doctors who have gone through the procedure of becoming qualified are being subjected to this pretty awful situation. When junior doctors get into the health system, they become so burnt out and disillusioned that they leave the country. Why is it acceptable for a set of workers such as junior doctors to be subjected to these awful conditions? If it were any other set of workers in the workforce, there would be absolute uproar. I just do not understand why this cannot be solved, particularly by the HSE and Department of Health.