Change in junior doctors’ hours delayed

THE new EU working time directive for junior doctors will not be implemented in three weeks because of the “absolute intransigence” of the IMO, the Government chief whip Mary Hanafin claimed last night.

Under the new directive the working time of junior doctors would be reduced from the current average of 72 hours a week to just 58 hours a week starting from August 1.

But the junior doctors are paid E2 million in overtime a year and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) does not want to give that up, Ms Hanafin told RTÉ’s Week in Politics programme.