Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the transition arrangements for the new public sector sick leave scheme to be implemented from 1 January 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52291/13]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will immediately publish his legislation for the new public sector sick leave arrangements. [52351/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in July 2012 sick leave arrangements for all public service employees were the subject of a Labour Court Recommendation relating to the introduction of a reformed Sick Leave Scheme.

The issue of transitional arrangements and specifically how employees who are on sick leave at the time of commencement of the new scheme as well as the approach taken to employees’ prior sick leave record was addressed by the Labour Court in its recommendations.

It was recommended by the Labour Court that anyone who is on sick leave at the time of the introduction of the new scheme will continue to avail of the current sick leave scheme and will be provided with access to six months full pay and six months half pay (over a four year rolling period) for the duration of that particular illness.

The changes in sick leave arrangements clearly represent a significant change in the terms and conditions of staff. It is therefore necessary to legislate for the new sick leave scheme and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Amendment Bill 2013 is being amended at Report Stage to include a new Part relating to the new sick leave arrangements. This piece of legislation is scheduled to complete all stages in the Oireachtas by the end of this year. The legislation will provide the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with the power to make regulations that will set out the specific details of the new sick leave scheme. These regulations will also be in place by the end of the year.