Vol. 562 No. 2
202 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children the arrangements in place, on a health board by health board basis, for the management and control of infectious diseases on an out of hours basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5756/03]
No formal system for out of hours cover for infectious diseases exists in the health boards; however, an emergency out of hours service has in the past been provided by public health doctors as required. The Irish Medical Organisation, IMO, has lodged a claim for an allowance for provision of this service and this matter is currently under negotiation by my Department and the IMO under the auspices of the Health Service Employers' Agency and the Labour Relations Commission in the context of a wider pay claim.
