Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [39169/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department uses the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) to record and monitor absences. This system allows analysis of absence and the production of statistics on total and average number of sick days in a given time period, by grade, and by location, and enables my Department to estimate the direct salary cost of absence.

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is currently preparing a report which examines the issue of managing sickness in the Civil Service. It is anticipated that this report will provide an opportunity for my Department to benchmark absence against other Government Departments.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff employed in his Department whose function it is to deal with representations from his 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [38955/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff employed by Ministers of State in his Department whose function it is to deal with representations from the Ministers of States' 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 he will make a statement on the matter. [38969/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

There are currently 5.5 officers working in my Constituency Office. The grades of these are as follows:

1 Higher Executive Officer — located in my Department

1 Staff Officer (working on a half time basis) — located in my Department

2 Clerical Officers — located in my Department

1 Personal Assistant (Higher Executive Officer level) — located in my constituency

1 Personal Secretary — located in my Constituency

The total anticipated cost in 2008 in terms of salary is €249,000.

There are currently 4.8 officers in the Constituency Office of the Minister of State. The grades of these officers are as follows:

1 Personal Assistant — located in the Department of Education and Science

1 Personal Secretary — located in the Minister of States office in his constituency

0.80 Staff Officer — located in the Department of Education and Science

2 Clerical Officers — located in the Department of Education and Science

The total anticipated cost in 2008 in terms of salary is €180,000.

These staffing levels are within the Department of Finance Guidelines for the staffing of the Private and Constituency offices of a Minister and Minister of State. The salaries paid to the Civil Servants are in accordance with the Department of Finance salary scales for the relevant grades. The salaries paid to the non-civil servant staff are in accordance with the Department of Finance Instructions relating to the Appointment of Ministerial Private Office Staff.

Representations from constituents are forwarded to the relevant Government Department or to the appropriate section of my Department, with responsibility for the relevant scheme and/or policy area, for the preparation of a response. Staff in my office and in the Minister of State's office are responsible for tracking and processing the replies.