Everybody agrees with the effort to improve the lot of junior doctors in terms of working hours, length of shifts and so forth. However, we are not leading the way in this regard but are being forced to introduce better standards by the EU working time directive or EWTD. From August 2004, non-consultant hospital doctors must not work for more than an average of 58 hours per week and not more than 13 hours on-site in a hospital. The historical development of junior doctors having to work incredibly long hours would require another report. Everybody is aware of this practice but it has been allowed to continue until now in the most sensitive of professions where focus, rest and alertness are of paramount importance. At present, there are 3,900 junior doctors in Ireland delivering front line service in more than 40 public acute hospitals and other health agencies. They work an average of 75 hours per week and often for continuous periods of more than 30 hours. In 2003, there were 1,731 hospital approved consultants in public hospitals. The EWTD will have to be implemented or we will be penalised so we cannot take any credit for being imaginative, innovative or reformist in this area.