Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 1

Written Answers. - Working Hours.

Richard Bruton

Question:

114 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Taoiseach 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.

The Taoiseach

The information regarding the total number of hours of overtime worked by persons employed in my Department and in the bodies under the aegis of my Department is given in the following Schedule.

Information regarding the proportion this represents of total man hours worked is not readily available in the manner requested by the Deputy. However, a good estimate can be obtained by relating the number of hours overtime worked over a twelve month period to an average figure for man hours worked. The overtime worked in the Department of the Taoiseach represents 6.93 per cent of total man hours worked. The figure for the Central Statistics Office is 1.23 per cent.

The proposed EC Directive on working hours provides that an individual should not work on average more than 48 hours per week, the average to be calculated over a four month period or, under certain circumstances, over six or twelve month periods. As such it is not likely to have significant impact on the number of hours of overtime worked in my Department or in the Central Statistics Office.

Schedule

Twelve month period from 1 June 1992 to 31 May 1993

	Number of hours of overtime worked	% of total man hours
Department of the Taoiseach	19,778	6.93
Central Statistics Office	17,688.5	1.23
National Economic and Social Council	Nil