Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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273. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider extending the scope of Circular 51/1979, leave from State employment for members of the Reserve Defence Forces, to include all State bodies, including the Health Information and Quality Authority, which were established after the circular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25984/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As part of my responsibilities as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for the terms and conditions of employment of public servants.  However, specific policies relating to special leave from employment for public servants - other than civil servants - are dealt with on a sectoral basis by the appropriate responsible minister.  This approach has been adopted so that any such arrangements can be designed to take account of human resource requirements in individual sectors of the public service.

The Circular referred to in the Deputy's question provides for special leave for members of the Reserve Defence Forces who are civil servants.  It is a matter for other relevant Ministers to determine the arrangements for special leave for members of the Reserve Defence Force for their own sectors.  In the case of the public body referred to in the Deputy's question, this is a matter to be considered by the Minister for Health.