Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It has gone on for 14 years without this matter being attended to. It is a fact that Ireland is committed along with the European Commission to the achievement of compliance by the end of 2014. Targets for implementation here were not met by previous Ministers, including Deputy Martin. The Minister for Health is determined to end this and to have it implemented in full by the end of next year, ending 14 years of inactivity.

Yesterday, I met a number of patients whose operations and treatments were cancelled today. There is much anger out there about this. It is very regrettable and will clearly result in a reduction in planned patient treatments. I understand that cancellations will arise in about 7,000 outpatient appointments, 500 day case and 200 inpatient cases. What is all this about? It is about the range of sanctions people want imposed on hospitals.

I understand there is great range of disagreement about what is involved here. Proposals have been tabled in this regard by both the HSE and the IMO. As with any industrial relations dispute, negotiations between the two sides are always the way to achieve a proper resolution. I call on the IMO to re-engage with the LRC process, which is the way to do this, and to desist from any further disruption to services, which is a cause of great distress to patients today.

It is absolutely desirable that doctors enjoy reasonable and proper working conditions. I assure the IMO and junior doctors in hospital that this Government, unlike previous Governments, remains fully committed to and has made serious progress in achieving compliance with the working time directive. In the first half of 2013, 35% of all NCHDs were compliant with the 48-hour week, particularly in specialist areas. I am informed that virtually all non-consultant hospital doctors in radiology, pathology, emergency medicine and psychiatry are fully compliant. The specialities in which compliance has still to be achieved are generally obstetrics, paediatrics, anaesthesiology, surgery and medicine. Average weekly working hours for all NCHDs were 52.4 hours as of July 2013. The Minister and the HSE are now focused on reducing this figure to 48 hours in compliance with the directive. We hope to have that achieved fully by the end of 2014. As the Deputy can see, significant progress has been made here.

Before I sit down, I again appeal to the IMO. The way to resolve this is through the Labour Relations Commission. There are two sets of issues tabled here and that is where the process should end. I appeal to the doctors to go back to the LRC and sort this out in the interests of acquiring proper working conditions but even more in the interests of their patients today, tomorrow and every other day.

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