Junior doctors will only be allowed to work 58 hours per week from August 1st next year and consultant provided services will replace them in many instances under the terms of the Hanly medical manpower report released today.
This recommendation is one of a number suggested in the report to ensure compliance with the European Working Time Directive which states that by 2009 no junior doctor can work over 48 hours per week.
At present junior doctors work an average of 75 hours per week with many working up to 129 hours per week.
Hanly proposed replacing much of the work done by junior doctors by doubling the number of consultants - from 1,700 to 3,600 by 2013.
The report suggests reforming medical education and training to meet this demand and also concludes that a national reorganisation of acute hospital services around regional centres of excellence is now necessary.
The report is the work of a National Task Force, chaired by Mr David Hanly. It also says each hospital should function as part of a regional network with the full range of specialist services. Patients should only travel further for care which is best provided at "supra-regional" or "national" level, the report suggests.
Mr Martin said the Government would not close any hospital, nor did the Task Force recommend the closure of any facility.