asked the Minister for Health whether nurses in (a) voluntary and (b) public hospitals are paid at overtime rates in respect of hours worked by them in excess of 85 per fortnight; if so, if he will give details of the rate of pay; and if he will favourably consider approving payment of double rates of pay in respect of overtime.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Working Hours of Nurses.
62.
The conditions of service of nurses employed in voluntary hospitals are matters for the authorities of each such hospital.
Nurses serving in health authority hospitals are not normally paid overtime in respect of extra hours of duty. The usual practice is that nurses are granted time off in lieu of overtime, temporary staff being recruited where necessary.
I understand, however, that the Irish Nurses Organisation has submitted a claim to health authorities and to the managements of voluntary hospitals for time and a half payment in respect of hours of duty in excess of 85 a fortnight, and that this claim is being considered by the employers.
I understand that a number of voluntary hospitals have not yet taken steps to ensure that no nurses are required to work more than an 85 hour fortnight. Having regard to that, would the Minister use his good offices to ensure that nurses who are required to work more than the maximum of an 85 hour fortnight will be paid at an enhanced rate for the additional work they are required to perform?
I have asked the voluntary hospitals to operate an 85 hour fortnight.
Does the Minister know the percentage who have not yet operated it?
There is a further question, and there may be more information on it.
63.
asked the Minister for Health if all voluntary hospitals have employed additional staff to enable an 85 hour fortnight for nurses to be operated; if not, the proportion which has not yet taken the necessary steps to implement a reduction in working hours; and the additional number of nurses recruited to date because of the reduction in working hours.
The recruitment of nursing or other staff is a matter for the authorities of each voluntary hospital.
I am informed that in each case where sanction was sought the Hospitals Commission have authorised, for deficit grant purposes, the expenditure involved in the employment of additional nurses for the purpose of implementing an 85 hour working fortnight.
To date, the employment of 83 additional staff nurses has been approved.
I cannot see any other information. I do not know.
I will ask the question again because it is important that we should know how many hospitals have complied with and how many hospitals have not complied with that sanction.
I will communicate with the Deputy.