Health Minister Mary Harney has announced the commencement of work of the Conmmission on Nurses’ Working Hours.The Commission will carry out an independent assessment of how a 35-hour week for nurses and midwives can be achieved. The Irish Nurses Organisation welcomed the announcement of the Commission The establishment of the Commission was part of the settlement terms of the nurses’ industrial action in spring 2007. There was a delay in setting up the working hours body, as the originally proposed Chairperson, Judge Maureen Harding Clark, was not avaialable due to judicial commitments.

Prof Tom Collins of NUI Maynooth will now chair the Commission, which is due to report within six months. Read more