Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
647. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the impact of the implementation of the European working time directive on the operations of the fire service nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47775/18]
View answerCouncil Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993, concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time (the Working Time Directive), lays down minimum safety and health requirements for the organisation of working time, in respect of periods of daily rest, breaks, weekly rest, maximum weekly working time, annual leave and aspects of night work, shift work and patterns of work. Implementation of this Directive is transposed through the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
I understand that the concepts of ‘working time’ and ‘rest periods’ as provided for in the Directive were the subject of a recent judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The judgment of the Court was noted at my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management Board meeting of 13 September 2018. The Management Board requested that preliminary legal advice be sought regarding the potential impact of the judgment and I understand that this should be available by the end of the year. Subject to the advice received, the National Directorate may forward the matter to the Office of the Attorney General for its consideration.
