Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in welcoming the appointment of the Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly, as European Ombudsman. Ms O'Reilly played a major role in identifying, more than ten years ago, the inadequacies and irregularities in the procedures for charging nursing home residents. Unfortunately, the Department of Health ignored her advice. The news of her new appointment is very welcome.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on the problem of staff absenteeism in the Health Service Executive? The average rate of absenteeism was 4.7% in 2010, 4.9% in 2011 and, as we learned in recent days, 4.79% in 2012. This means that last year 4,790 people were absent from work in the HSE every day. The target rate of absenteeism is 3.5%. Absenteeism represents a huge cost to the taxpayer and one that must be tackled. I accept that people are working under significant pressures and that there has been a failure to review and improve working practices. Nevertheless, the figures are very worrying. In February this year, in one area alone, the rate of absenteeism among medical staff was 0.85%, whereas the rate for general support staff was 7.97%. That is a huge difference in the incidence of absenteeism among different categories of worker in the same organisation. We must have a debate on this issue. If there are work practices which do not suit employees, there is an obligation to see how they might be amended. A situation in which 4,790 people are absent every day cannot be allowed to continue.