asked the Minister for Health if he is prepared to keep his promise made to the Nursing Association when he addressed them and if he will see to it that all nurses in the Republic will get a 48-hour week, with better conditions, so as to keep them from emigrating.

My functions in regard to conditions of service of nurses are confined to local authority hospitals, in the great majority of which the 96-hour fortnight is in operation. I desire to have the 96-hour fortnight introduced in all local authority hospitals and if the Deputy is aware of any such hospital in which the 96-hour fortnight is not in operation, I shall have the matter investigated if he supplies me with particulars.

It is the policy of my Department that conditions of employment for nurses should be as favourable as possible in all cases. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to a circular issued by my Department on the 11th June, 1948, in which general recommendations were made to local authorities in regard to accommodation, recreation facilities and reasonable liberality in the matter of discipline.

If it should happen that a nurse would be compelled by circumstances to do overtime, would the Minister see that she is paid overtime rates for it?

I could not answer the Deputy exactly about that point. I think that time would be made up to her later on, rather than pay overtime, but I am not sure.

I could not hear the Minister's answer, as he spoke very low.

Generally speaking, I said that the thing was being done.

In all the hospitals? I am asking it for all nurses.

In all the local authority hospitals.

And those outside the local authority?

I have no control over them.