Vol. 527 No. 5
81 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children the implications for the operation here of the EU Working Time Directive, especially in regard to medical personnel, as a result of a recent judgment of the European Court of Justice that time spent on call should be included as part of the working week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26556/00]
In the Irish public health service, non-consultant hospital doctors and other medical staff who provide an on-call service at the hospital are deemed to be working and are paid accordingly.
In Ireland, doctors engaged in primary health care do not provide on-call services from hospitals or health centres. The European Court of Justice judgment relating to public health doctors in Spain will not thus require any change to arrangements for doctors working in the Irish health service.
