Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Working Hours.

Richard Bruton

Question:

163 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Marine the total number of hours of overtime worked, in the most recent twelve month period for which figures are available, by persons employed by his Department or by public bodies under the aegis of his Department; the proportion this represents of total man hours worked; and the impact the proposed EC Directive on working hours will have on reducing this level of overtime.

Minister for the Marine (Mr. Andrews)

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to overtime hours is set out in the following table:—

(1)	(2)	(3)
Body	No of Over-time Hours Worked	(1) as a percentage of total man-hours
Department	28,081	6
Public Bodies	29,992	3.7
Total	58,073	4.85

Note: Figures quoted related to 1992.

Strict controls are maintained by the Department and by public bodies under its aegis of the level of overtime working. In general overtime is only granted in cases where work of an urgent nature cannot be postponed or deferred and where other staff are unavailable. In all cases the number of overtime hours is kept to a minimum and would not in general reach such a level as to exceed the maximum working week proposed under the EC Directive. In addition certain activities, such as transport, work at sea and certain shift work arrangements will be exempted from the Directive. The existing restrictions on overtime working together with the exemption of certain activities mean that the proposed EC Directive will have minimal impact on the Department and the public bodies under its aegis.