Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 230: To ask the Minister for Finance the projected cost of working days lost to the Exchequer in 2004. [39114/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The most recent data available from the CSO, collected as part of the quarterly national household survey, regarding working days lost as a result of injury or illness relates to the first quarter of 2004. The data for Q1 2004 shows that the total number of days lost was 1,374,813. This compares with 1,286,100 in Q1 2003 and 1,441,000 in Q1 2002. A breakdown of these figures across illness and injuries is in the following table. It is not possible to calculate the cost to the Exchequer of working days lost. This would depend on a number of factors, including whether persons concerned were paid in respect of days lost or were in receipt of sick pay under the terms of their employment contract; the level of pay of persons concerned; and whether persons concerned were in receipt of disability benefit in respect of days lost. This level of detail is not available regarding the following CSO data.