Defence Forces Personnel.

Thursday, 26 October 2006

Questions (174)

Joe Costello

Question:

174 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel in the Army, Navy and Air Corps; the quantity of sick leave experienced by each sector over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34934/06]

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Written answers

Minister for Defence (Mr. O’Dea)

The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement.

Permanent Defence Force strength at 30th September and categories of sick leave in person-days in the period 1st October 2005-30th September 2006

	Army	Air Corps	Navy	Totals
Strength as at 30th September, 2006	8,623	839	1,066	10,528
ED (person-days)	17,992	1,571	1,868	21,431
SL (person-days)	83,786	17,317	9,490	110,593
USL (person-days)	13,659	2,067	767	16,493
Total (person-days)	115,437	20,955	12,125	148,517

ED — Excused Duty (may only be granted by a Defence Forces Medical Officer)

SL — Sick Leave

USL — Uncertified Sick Leave

Note: The Permanent Defence Force operates on a 7-day working week i.e. 365-day year.

My Department has been addressing the sick leave situation on a number of points, and intends, as part of the ongoing modernisation process, to review current sick leave arrangements within the Defence Forces.