Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Nov 2001

Vol. 545 No. 1

Written Answers. - Public Health Doctors.

Bernard Allen

Question:

198 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Irish Medical Organisation has advised public health doctors not to participate in out of hours roster in relation to his Department's counter bio-terrorism procedures. [29594/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

Public health doctors have been dealing with problems which have arisen out of hours for many years.

In mid-October the Irish Medical Organisation – IMO – wrote to my Department in relation to payments for public health doctors who may have to be called on out of hours in response to alerts relating to biological threats. My Department replied to the IMO advising them that the appropriate statutory body for dealing with such claims is the Health Service Employers' Agency – HSEA. Subsequently, it was brought to my Department's attention that the IMO had advised public health doctors not to agree to participate in out of hours on-call rosters in the event of a biological incident. My Department again wrote to the IMO requesting it to withdraw with immediate effect their advice to public health doctors and to pursue their claim through normal industrial relations channels. In early November the IMO submitted a claim to the HSEA in this regard and the HSEA is currently processing the claim. I regret however that the IMO has indicated that it will not withdraw its advice until negotiations have been completed.

My Department has also written to the chief executive officers of the health boards asking them that in the event that public health doctors are not available that they make arrangements for adequate alternative cover in their board's area.