Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the systems his Department has in place for tracking absences from work for various reasons, for benchmarking them against best standards and for estimating the cost of cover or lost input as a result of these absences; and if he will present data for the most recent years on this matter. [39172/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates a personnel administration system, which records and tracks details in relation to staff, including the recording and tracking of staff absences from work for various reasons. I understand that this system is used by all Government Departments and that, while it does not have a specific facility to benchmark absences as referred to by the Deputy, it does enable my Department to review and monitor the attendance patterns of staff and to take follow-up action, where required.

Any cost arising in relation to providing cover where staff are absent from work is nominal, as dedicated cover is only provided for staff in the case of maternity absences. In such cases, a higher duties allowance is paid to the lower grade to act up in place of the officer on maternity leave and the consequential lower post remains unfilled. Estimating any lost input due to absences and the taking of appropriate action is the responsibility of line managers in my Department, who review progress in respect of the implementation of their annual business plans on a regular basis.

With regard to data relating to absenteeism in my Department, I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No 404 of 21 October 2008.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of staff employed in his Department whose function it is to deal with representations from her constituency; the number of these staff that are located in the constituency and in his Department; the grade and remuneration at which these staff are employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38962/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There is a total of five full-time administrative staff assigned to deal with matters in my constituency office. The staff in question are based in my Department's headquarters in Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1.

There are four established civil servants, one Executive Officer on a payscale of €32,179 to €51,054, two Clerical Officers on a payscale of €24,397 to €39,558 and one Clerical Officer on a payscale of €23,174 to €37,584 (Class B rate of PRSI contribution applies as this person commenced employment before 6 April 1995) in the office.

I have also appointed, on a contract basis for my term of office, one non-established civil servant, a Personal Assistant. The annual salary for my Personal Assistant is €55,030 together with a private pension contribution of 11% of salary.