asked the Minister for Health whether the 96-hour working fortnight, recommended by him in respect of employees in the health services throughout the country, has been adopted by all the local authorities concerned; and, if not, what steps he proposes to take to ensure that these employees, and in particular porters, wardsmen, wardsmaids, ambulance drivers, cooks and general workers employed in county and district homes and hospitals will be accorded this long overdue relief from long arduous hours.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - 96-hour Working Fortnight.
A 96-hour fortnight for domestic employees has not yet been adopted by local authorities generally.
I am personally in favour of the introduction of a 96-hour fortnight for such employees and I am anxious to see it introduced as soon as possible. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that there are considerable difficulties in the way of its immediate application. It will be necessary for local authorities to recruit considerable numbers of additional staffs, and in view of the difficulties of obtaining domestic staff the authorities of the institutions will be confronted with a serious problem. In many institutions additional living accommodation will be required to accommodate the extra staffs. The implementation of this proposal will also involve a considerable financial burden on the Exchequer.
I am examining this matter and I can assure the Deputy that as far as I am concerned there will be no undue delay in arriving at a decision.
Arising out of the reply given by the Minister for Local Government on Question No. 34, I would like to give notice now of my intention to raise that matter on the adjournment with the permission of the Chair.