Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the effect on competitiveness, as reported to him by Forfás, if businesses must pay in full for employees' sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38384/11]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the effect on employment and the number of jobs which could be lost, as reported to him by Forfás, if businesses must pay in full for employees' sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38385/11]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the effect on wages, as reported to him by Forfás, if businesses must pay in full for employees' sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38386/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 to 131, inclusive, together.

The introduction of a Statutory Sick Pay scheme, along the lines of those which operate in many other European countries, is one of the issues that has been considered by the Government in the context of reducing public expenditure. As I mentioned in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 22 November 2011 to Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh, I asked Forfás to examine the potential impact on competitiveness and employment of Statutory Sick Pay, if such a scheme were to be introduced in Ireland.

I have received a preliminary report from Forfás on this matter, but it would be premature of me to comment on it until the Cabinet has completed its consideration of such issues.