Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 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. [31564/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for the sick leave regulations and procedures that apply to civil servants. The Deputy will also be aware that, under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 ("Croke Park Agreement"), the civil service is committed to achieving a substantial reduction in sick leave absences. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has adopted a proactive approach in this area, including through the following: sick leave and patterns of absence are routinely monitored; individual cases are regularly referred to the Chief Medical Officer for advice; uncertified sick leave limits are strictly adhered to: staff receive written warnings on each occasion where they have taken 5, 6 and 7 days uncertified sick leave in any calendar year and pay is deducted in respect of any uncertified sick leave above 7 days per annum; salary is reduced to 50% where cumulative sick leave absences exceed six months in any a calendar year; salary is discontinued, or paid at pension rate, where sick leave absences exceed twelve months in any period of four years; salary increments are delayed or withheld in full where staff have taken excessive sick leave; sick leave is taken into account in promotion competitions and in the selection of staff for posting abroad; return to work forms are required to be completed by the supervisor and counter-signed by the staff member in respect of all absences due to illness; supervisors are required to hold sick leave review meetings with staff in cases where sick leave is a regular occurrence; subsidised vaccinations against the flu virus are made available to headquarters staff every autumn and; subsidised general medical check-ups are offered to headquarters staff every second year.

Details of the sick leave taken by staff of my Department during 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 are set out in the following table. As no additional staff were employed specifically to cover sick absences there was no actual extra cost involved. However, based on a formula provided by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the notional cost is also indicated.