Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health the measures he will take to address excessive working hours and issues of appropriate training/supervision and career progression opportunities for non-consultant hospital doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7451/13]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the measures in place within the health services to ensure that the EU working time directive is being complied with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7490/13]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the way he plans to reduce the burden on non-consultant hospital doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7501/13]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health the action he proposes to take about junior hospital doctors working shifts of unsafe duration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7509/13]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the excessive hours worked by junior doctors, with particular reference to addressing 36 hour shifts as a critical issue of health and safety. [7440/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 41, 82, 88 and 97 together.

The Government is committed to achieving compliance with the European Working Time Directive in respect of non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) by 2014. I have emphasised to the Health Service Executive the high priority the Government and I attach to this issue.

In January 2012, a detailed plan for the achievement of compliance by NCHDs with the Working Time Directive was submitted to the EU Commission. e plan affirmed Ireland's commitment to achieving compliance with the Directive over a three-year time period. It committed to implementing the measures necessary, including new work patterns for medical staff, transfer of work undertaken by NCHDs to other grades and the organisation of hospital services to support compliance.

The HSE National Service Plan 2013 states that there will be a particular focus in the acute hospital service on the achievement of compliance with the European Working Time Directive amongst the non-consultant hospital doctor workforce. The Executive is currently finalising its National Operational Plan to support the implementation of the National Service Plan. is will specify in greater detail the actions to be taken in relation to EWTD compliance. e HSE was asked by my Department in January to ensure that clear responsibility is placed with a hospital CEO and a senior manager and/or clinical lead for the achievement of specified improvements in compliance, such that the end 2014 target will be met.

As part of the measures agreed between health service management and the consultant representative bodies at the Labour Relations Commission in September 2012, consultants have a key role in supporting the implementation of required revisions to NCHD work patterns and working hours. These include ward-based rostering, use of cross cover at SHO level, replacement of NCHD hours by Advanced Nurse/Midwifery Practitioner hours where appropriate, transfer of certain duties to other staff and other measures set out in Ireland's 2012 Plan to drive EWTD compliance.

I want to ensure that NCHDs can progress to consultant level. However, it is not sustainable, in the light of the State's serious financial difficulties, to continue to recruit at the previous rates. If we are to continue to provide consultant-level career opportunities for doctors and, subject to the limitations on available resources, to replace consultants who retire and where possible expand overall capacity, this can only happen on the basis of a lower-cost model.