asked the Minister for the Public Service the level of public service absenteeism for the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 in the public service; the cost involved; and how this relates to private sector comparisons.
Written Answers. - Public Service Absenteesim.
72.
The information sought by the Deputy is not available in my Department, which is not responsible for the detailed administration of sick leave schemes in the public services as a whole. A survey confined to the non-industrial civil service in respect of the year 1982 is almost completed and the indications are that the average number of working days lost through sick leave in that year was 7.6, which represents approximately 3.34 per cent of the average number of scheduled working days.
In the absence of any firm estimates of absenteeism rates for the public service as a whole it is not possible to supply the annual cost figure requested by the Deputy. Moreover, assessments of the cost of absenteeism may vary depending on what cost elements are taken into account and on factors such as the nature of the sick pay scheme.