Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Defence the procedures in place to manage sick leave in his Department; the sick leave entitlement in place in his Department; the combined amount of sick days taken by staff in his Department in 2011 and to date in 2012; the financial cost of this sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31560/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The procedures for managing absences due to the ill health of staff are governed by a range of circulars issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, in particular circular 9/10 on the Management of Sick Leave in the Civil Service. Under the circular, line managers are required to play a proactive role in managing sick leave in their areas and in engaging with their staff on absences due to ill health. All absences due to ill health are recorded on the HR database, HRMS, and are routinely monitored and managed as appropriate, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer. Since the introduction of circular 9/10, the sick leave rates for the Department have fallen from 5.5% in 2010 to 4.2% in 2011. The number of days lost to ill health and the related value is set out below: