Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 July 2013
739. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health in respect of hospital consultants' public contracts, if he will report on the terms of the contract in respect of pay and hours required for different categories of work in each of the types of contract; and if he will outline the arrangements in place for ensuring compliance with the terms of these contracts. [36721/13]
View answer740. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will provide information on the number and proportion of hospital consultants who have exceeded the quota of private work permissible under their contract in each of the past three years for which figures are available; the numbers that have paid penalties for this work in each year; and the total value of these penalties in each of these years. [36722/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 739 and 740 together.
For historical reasons, consultants working in the public health service are employed under a number of contracts. The 1991 and 1997 Consultant Contracts provided for consultants working 33 hours per week, while the 2008 Consultant Contract provided for consultants working 37 hours per week.
However, under the Haddington Road Agreement the working hours for public servants, including consultants, with a working week of 35 hours or less (net of rest breaks) have been increased to a minimum of 37 hours per week with effect from 1 July 2013. Staff who previously had a net working-week of more than 35 but less than 39 hours (net of rest breaks) move to a 39-hour week, with the first two hours 15 minutes taking effect from 1 July 2013 and any balance being applied from 1 July 2015.
Irrespective of contract, many consultants are liable to provide on-call services and attend on-site outside of contracted hours. Consultants employed on the 2008 Contract may be required formally to provide up to five additional hours on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.
The revised salary rates for medical consultants can be found in my Department's Consolidated Salary Scales which issued on foot of the Haddington Road Agreement in recent weeks and which are published on the Department's website www.doh.ie.
The HSE has responsibility for implementation of the terms of the contracts held by consultants working in the public health service. I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the enforcement of compliance with the contractual provisions regarding private practice.
