asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on the strike by junior doctors.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Junior Doctors' Strike.
39.
I would refer the Deputy to the statement issued by me yesterday regarding the strike by non-consultant hospital doctors. In that statement I indicated that I met with representatives of the Irish Medical Organisation recently and at that meeting the action proposed by the non-consultant hospital doctors was discussed.
Following that meeting, my officials contacted the health boards and voluntary hospitals to arrange for each of these bodies to hold discussions with their medical staffs and in particular the local non-consultant hospital doctors' representatives. The purpose of these discussions was to explain the implications of any decisions taken which would affect the non-consultant hospital doctors and to ask them to take part in talks which might reduce the effect of such decisions.
Widespread consultation at local level has, in fact, taken place and in many cases such consultation has proved successful. It is only through those discussions at local level that practical progress can be made where the detailed knowledge of local circumstances is available. Accordingly, I have urged that in any case where agreement has not been reached these discussions should continue so that inconvenience and disruption can be avoided. I am satisfied that emergency cover is being provided in those hospitals affected, while many hospitals are operating normally.
In view of the imminent crisis in all of the hospitals where the junior doctors have withdrawn their services — I have in mind two major hospitals in my area as well as those in other areas — will the Minister not now agree to meet with the junior doctors to discuss with them the difficulties which have caused this strike? Will he not agree that previous agreements have been broken and that discussions at local level are not adequate now to bring about a satisfactory solution to the difficulty which confronts the junior doctors? Will he agree further that these junior doctors are expected to work up to 120 hours per week and does he consider that reasonable? Would it not be much more reasonable for him in the interests of the health of people to agree to meet with the junior doctors, sit down face to face with them and go through the problems that confront them now and bring about a quick solution to this problem?
As I have said, I met the IMO within the last two weeks and we discussed the present problem. I share Deputy Molloy's concern at the long hours the doctors might have to work. I have asked the health boards and the hospitals affected to renew their invitation to junior hospital doctors to enter into local negotiations, and I have indicated my concern that excessive hours should not be asked of non-consultant hospital doctors as a matter of routine rostering. I believe the way forward in this dispute is negotiation at local level. I am glad to say that in the last 24 hours agreement has been reached with two further hospitals and the non-consultant hospital doctors, and I believe that negotiations on agreement in a further two hospitals are in progress at present.
In view of the fact that the Minister has referred to information about events in the past 24 hours, how many doctors at this time have withdrawn their services and, it seems, will continue to withdraw their services? In those cases will the Minister agree that the withdrawal of services is on an indefinite basis and that this dispute could develop into a major crisis for the health of our people and for the whole structure of the health services? Unless immediate action is taken by the Minister such as is suggested here, of direct meeting with the doctors concerned and with their spokespersons, this situation will develop and deterioration will occur.
As I have said, I believe this dispute can be settled only at local level by negotiations between the doctors concerned and the management of the hospitals concerned. It is difficult to say how many doctors are involved in the dispute because numbers differ in different hospitals and a different number of doctors are involved in each hospital. On the broader question, the Government issued a statement this morning after the Government meeting pointing out the serious financial position — we are all aware of it — in the health services. It is not possible to provide more money for the health services this year. Again, I appeal to the non-consultant hospital doctors to re-enter negotiations at local level so that this dispute may be brought quickly to an end.
A final question——
There are two remaining priority questions which I would like to dispose of.
One of them is mine. Will the Minister give a directive to the local management in the hospitals with regard to the length of time and the hours of work for which junior hospital doctors are expected to be available?
I have made it clear that I have asked the health boards and the hospitals affected to renew their invitation to the junior hospital doctors to enter into local negotiations and I have indicated my concern that excessive hours should not be asked of non-consultant hospital doctors as a matter of routine rostering.
Question No. 40, Deputy Bernard Allen.
Have I your permission, Sir, to raise this matter on the Adjournment?
I will communicate with the Deputy.
Could you allow me a supplementary, please?
It is not in order at Priority Question Time.