Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of absenteeism in third level colleges (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43410/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Universities and institutes of technology, as autonomous institutions under the terms of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts respectively, are responsible for the day to day management of their own affairs, including matters relating to sick leave and absenteeism. Accordingly, neither my Department nor the Higher Education Authority holds the specific information requested by the Deputy.

However, it should be noted that, following a review of sick leave arrangements, a new Public Service wide sick leave scheme has been introduced across the Public Service. The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013, provided the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with the power to make regulations that set out the specific details of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. These regulations are contained in SI 124 of 2014 and set out the terms for the granting of sick leave. This came into effect in the education sector on 1 September 2014.

DES Circular Number 0062/2015 is the recent Circular detailing the sick leave arrangements for all staff in Institutes of Technology. This Circular issued to the Director / President of each Institute of Technology on 1 December 2015. This Circular can be accessed via the following link.

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Similarly, a circular giving effect to these revised sick leave arrangements for all staff in the rest of the Higher Education Sector issued to the Higher Education Authority for dissemination to all Universities and other Third Level Colleges under the remit of the HEA on 1 December 2015.