asked the Minister for Health if he will set a time limit for the introduction of the 90-hour working fortnight for local authority nurses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nurses' Working Fortnight.
31.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply which I gave on 13th March last to a similar question. I stated in that reply that I fully agreed with the principle of a 90-hour fortnight for nursing staffs but that as my functions in relation to the matter were secondary to those of the hospital authorities concerned, it would be inappropriate that I should attempt to impose a time-limit as suggested.
I should add that, save in one case, all proposals submitted by local authorities for the recruitment of additional nursing staff to implement the suggested reduction in working hours have been dealt with by my Department. Appropriate sanction will be issued in the near future in the case referred to.