asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in extension of a reply of 28th April 1965 the average duration of incapacity of (a) workmen employed by local authorities as road workers, and (b) building trade workers.
Written Answers. - Duration of Workers' Incapacity.
242.
As stated in my reply to the Deputy's question of the 28th April, 1965, statistics as prepared in my Department are on the basis of the occupation of the claimant not of the business of the employer. Accordingly the information in the form required by the Deputy cannot be supplied. Road workers employed by local authorities are classified in a statistical group described as "general and undefined labourers" which includes many other types of workers and therefore the sickness experience of the group as a whole would not be a reliable indication of the sickness experience of road workers. As regards building trade workers certain information relating to some of the main occupational groups in the building trade is available which suggests that the average duration of short term disability benefit claims for such male workers is approximately 8 weeks.