Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 547: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of uncertified sick days taken within all sections of her Department for the years 2007 and 2008 and to date in 2009; the number of employees who have taken uncertified sick days in the categories one to ten days and over ten days; the number of uncertified sick days taken Fridays and Mondays; the number of persistent offenders with regard to uncertified sick days who have been sent for an independent doctor's opinion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15676/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Details of the number of uncertified sick days taken by staff of my Department in the years 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009, including those days taken on either Monday or Friday are as set out in the following table.

All sick leave is monitored closely and particular attention is paid to the number, and pattern if any, of uncertified sick days. Officers who take between five and seven uncertified sick days in any twelve month period are contacted formally by the Department and the matter is then dealt with on an individual case basis. In any 12 months, the maximum number of uncertified sick days that can be taken is 7 days. The grant of paid sick leave without an accompanying medical certificate is a privilege which is withdrawn after 7 days. A case will not be referred to the Chief Medical Officer solely on uncertified sick leave but on the overall sick leave record. Figures showing the breakdown of referrals are not immediately available but the Chief Medical Officer's Report for 2008 records that it dealt with a total of 383 persons referred by my Department in the year.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 548: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the procedures in place in her Department to ensure that staff who interact with the public are supported fully to enable them to provide a proper service to customers of her Department; the procedures in place to ensure that all customers of her Department are treated in a courteous manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15732/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department has a programme of training and development for its staff to ensure they are in a position to deliver a quality service to its customers. The Department's central training section, Staff Development Unit provide a large number of training initiatives for staff who interact with the public. Among these are courses such as: Customer Service training; Dealing with Difficult Customers; Effective Communication with Speakers of other languages; Effective Writing training; Telephone Skills training; Assertiveness Skills; Service through Irish language training

There is also an extensive management training programme which includes, among others, Customer service training modules. The training unit also provides a number of awareness interventions, including Disability, Diversity, Mental Health and Stress Awareness Training. In addition, a number of intensive training programmes are provided to specialist staff such as Social Welfare Inspectors, Jobs Facilitators and Information Officers who interact with customers on a regular basis. Regular updates on changes and improvements to schemes and services are also provided. To complement formal training courses, ongoing staff coaching and on-the-job training is also provided for front-line staff in the whole area of customer service through a network of regional and local office trainers.

The Performance Management and Development System, in which all managers and staff participate, provides the source from which individuals' training and development needs are identified. Individualised training and development plans are agreed between managers and staff during performance assessment meetings. Staff development is monitored on an ongoing basis during the year and additional support is provided where a need is identified. The Department has published its Customer Charter where it clearly outlines our commitments and objectives in the whole area of customer service. All our offices clearly display posters, and have information available regarding our continued commitment to a quality customer service, while we also have a Customers Comments and Complaints Procedure in place in all public offices, which is regularly monitored and reviewed by local management.

The Department is also a member of the Interdepartmental Quality Customer Service group – a group under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach.