Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 340: To ask the Minister for Finance the details of the term-time scheme which currently operates in the Civil Service; if this scheme is available to persons employed under the secretarial assistant scheme for Members of Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21309/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The term-time scheme for civil servants allows staff to take either ten or 13 weeks unpaid leave from June until the end of August. The purpose of the scheme is to allow parents with children up to 18 years of age, or those acting in loco parentis, to match their working arrangements with the main summer holidays of their children. Staff who are primary carers are also eligible to take term-time leave to care for a person who resides with them and who has a disability which gives rise to the need for care on a continuing or frequent basis.

The term-time scheme is one of a wide range of family-friendly and work-life balance schemes available to civil servants. Requests for access to those schemes are facilitated as far as possible, subject to the operating requirements of Departments and offices not being adversely affected.

Term-time was negotiated and agreed with the representatives of the Civil Service staff unions at general council under the Civil Service conciliation and arbitration scheme and applies only to civil servants. As secretarial assistants are not party to the conciliation and arbitration scheme, they are not covered by the Civil Service term-time agreement.