The HSE is today asking staff to volunteer to cover the June and August Bank Holiday weekends to help manage demand.
Speaking at an Oireachtas Health Committee Meeting, the CEO of the Health Executive says he intends to move more staff to 5-over-7 day work rosters.
The HSE also intends to offer all new healthcare staff contracts that oblige them to work some weekends.
CEO Bernard Gloster says the health service needs to be fully operational seven days a week.
"Obviously we would have to look at additionality of staff if we were going to sustain that every weekend.
"Essentially, if the health service doesn't move from on call working at weekends to actually service delivery in the community and in hospitals, the health service is going to continue to experience serious, serious problems every Tuesday morning."
