Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

315. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public servants excluding healthcare workers, gardaí, Defence Forces personnel, primary school teachers and secondary school teachers that were placed on sick leave due to stress in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020, by the relevant Department and State agency; and the proportion this number represents of the total number employed in each year. [19862/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In response to the Deputy’s question, Sick Leave Statistics for the Public Service are published on an annual basis by my Department. The published statistics show the overall lost time rate owing to sickness absence, the average number of days lost per full time equivalent and the overall cost of sick leave broken down by certified and self-certified sick leave cost.

Data on nature of illness is not requested across the Public Service when compiling and publishing annual statistics, therefore the data and information presented below relates to the Civil Service only.

It should be noted by the Deputy when reviewing this data

- These figures have been provided to my Department by the National Shared Services Office.

- Employees are not obliged to state the nature of the illness on medical certificates or on the NSSO Human Resources Management System (HRMS) when self-reporting illness and absence.

**The term “Stress Leave Instances” refers to every time a new absence is raised. It does not represent the duration of absence or the number of people who are out on sick leave at any given time.