Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 166: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of civil servants in his Department in receipt of a full salary and by whom no work has been undertaken in the past month; the cost of employing these staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13497/07]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Aside from staff availing of statutory entitlements or entitlements consistent with their conditions of service as Civil Servants (annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave, etc.), no staff in my Department are not working and in receipt of full wages.

In relation to staff availing of leave entitlements for the full month of March, the position is that as the month only ended on Saturday last, it is not possible at this stage to say how many staff were absent for the entire month, while on full pay. However, I can say that they would represent a relatively small proportion of the 1,900 staff working in my Department.

Finally, it would be relatively easy to draw incorrect conclusions from the absence of staff on leave with full pay. Take for example the case of a woman on Maternity Leave. In Budget 2006, the Government announced the extension of Maternity Leave to 26 weeks paid and 16 weeks unpaid. While there is a cost to the extension of this leave, the Government is firmly of the view that putting the needs of expectant and new mothers, their children and their families first is the right thing to do, both socially and economically.