Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 5

Written Answers. - Working Time.

Liz McManus

Question:

71 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if Ireland was represented at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 25 May 1999 which dealt with the proposed postponement of the implementation of the EU directive on time in respect of certain categories of workers; the position Ireland took on these matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15847/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

I travelled to Brussels to represent Ireland at the EU Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers on 25 May 1999. I was taken ill that morning and the Irish Deputy Permanent Representative deputised for me at the meeting.

Political agreement was reached at that meeting on three separate directive proposals, as follows, concerning the organisation of working time: (a) a proposal for a Council directive amending directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time to cover sectors and activities excluded from that directive; (b) a proposal for a Council directive concerning the agreement on the organisation of working time of seafarers concluded by the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA) and the Federation of Transport Workers Unions in the European Union (FST); and (c) a proposal for a Council directive concerning the enforcement of seafarers hours of work on board ships using Community ports. Ireland supported all three proposals.

The proposal at (a) envisages a phased introduction of a 48-hour (average) maximum working week for doctors in training, 48 hours being the maximum permitted weekly working hours applicable to workers generally under the EU working time programme, which is subject to a transitional phasing arrangement under which: a 60-hour limit will apply for the first three years after implementation of the directive; a 56-hour limit will apply for the second three years after implementation of the directive; anda 52-hour limit will apply for the third three years after implementation of the directive.

A four year limit, dating from adoption of the directive, has been agreed by the Council as the timeframe within which member states will have to implement the directive within their territories.