James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the past, everybody always looked to quantums of money and numbers of people. A change in the way we work is what is really required as we reform our health service. It should not be a question of asking people who are already working hard to work harder. It should be a question of asking them to work differently. I asked the HSE today why some model 4 hospitals - the big hospitals - have nine nurses for every health care assistant, while other hospitals of model 4 size have 2.8 nurses for every health care assistant. Non-consultant hospital doctors are being asked to do a great deal of work which they should not be doing and which could be done by others. The hospital groups will help in this regard. I want to put it on the record of the House that we have made considerable process in relation to this. No non-consultant hospital doctor now works more than 68 hours. That was our initial focus. I am not sure we are 100% there yet, but we are working towards that and on ensuring no shifts exceed 24 hours.

See this speech in context