Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the procedures in place to manage sick leave in all agencies, offices or other bodies reporting to his Department, separate to individuals working directly for his Department; the combined number of sick days taken by staff in the agencies, offices or other bodies reporting to his Department in 2011 and to date in 2012; the financial cost of this sick leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32564/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The management of sick leave within the agencies, offices and bodies reporting to my Department is implemented by them in accordance with civil service policy as set out in Department of Finance Circular 09/2010 - Management of Sick Leave.

The criteria for the payment of sick is set out in Department of Finance Circular 25/1978. Currently, full pay during properly certified sick absence may be allowed up to a maximum of six months in one year and half pay thereafter subject to a maximum of twelve months sick leave in any period of four years or less. For the purposes of calculating the periods of sick leave on full and half pay, six months and twelve months are, where sick absence is not continuous, reckoned as 183 days and 365 days respectively, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays falling within a period of sick leave.

Sick leave for single or two day absences, in total not exceeding seven days in any period of twelve months, may be granted without medical certificate.

The number of sick days taken and associated costs, excluding An Garda Síochána, are set out in the table below.

*All figures are approximate.

The information in relation to An Garda Síochána, the Irish Human Rights Commission and the National Disability Authority will be provided directly to the Deputy by the Organisations concerned.