Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

They certainly have my respect. We all welcome the fact that the strike action that was due to take place yesterday has been suspended or deferred. It is important that there has been engagement between the Irish Medical Organisation and the HSE. In his response, the Minister referred to "compliance ... by the end of 2014". Can he confirm that the HSE has agreed to a timetable for the implementation of the European working time directive, with compliance beginning from early January 2014? That date, which is a short number of months from now, is just after the start of the next rotation of junior doctors. Has the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform given a commitment to provide whatever resources are needed? We appreciate that resources will be needed in this situation. The Minister will certainly be very mindful of that in terms of the responsibility of his Department. Have commitments been made with regard to resources to ensure implementation of the directive?

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