Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-03-Speech-3-108"
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"en.19991103.7.3-108"2
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"In relation to the working time directive on road transport operators, I have concerns about the exclusion of own-account operators from the definition of mobile workers. For road transport we will now have three categories of operators, own-account, third party hauliers and self-employed with three different working time regimes under Directive 93/104. I suggest that will be inoperable and unenforceable. If tachograph legislation could be rigorously applied would we need the amendment before us, would we need to double the lorries and trucks on the road with the consequent environmental impact? The jury is out.
In relation to Amendment No 5 I fully support it. Indeed, in Ireland, we can hang our heads in shame. We have 3,000 non-consultant hospital doctors, or junior doctors. The voluntary maximum working hours negotiated by the Irish medical organisation and our department of health is 35 hours per week averaged over their rota period of 46 hours and not more than 72 hours work continuously. Never mind an injection from a doctor on duty for 16 or 18 hours as another speaker mentioned. Who would like to have their baby delivered by a doctor, a junior obstetrician after being on duty for 70 hours? Working continuously for 70 hours is permitted. It is appalling at the moment.
The Commission’s study at the time of the original working time directive stated that in Ireland non-consultant hospital doctors worked well in excess of the 65 hours permitted per week and they undertake tasks indistinguishable from that of their senior colleagues. This study listed issues needing urgent resolution and I will list these briefly – excessive hours worked in several EU countries, on-call duties, – we by the way have problems in Ireland about the definition of on-call. In Ireland, on-call equals on-duty, we need to be very careful of that. The co-shape study also lists unrealistic rostering, protracted periods of continuous duty, the distribution of duties between junior and senior doctors, informal pressure on doctors in training, the vulnerability of breaks and time off and the pace of pressures and service needs.
In conclusion, thank you. All I would like to say is in protecting our doctors, we are protecting their patients. This is a health and safety issue of both doctors and their patients. We must stop the exploitation of doctors in training for their sake and that of their patients.
Let me make an altogether separate point of order. My colleague, Mrs Scallon is not here because we understood President Nicole Fontaine to say at the end of the beef debate that the Smet and Hughes reports would be taken tomorrow. There probably is a problem in interpretation here. I understood that, and Mrs Scallon and other colleagues who are not here have been confused by this."@en1
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