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Suicide Incidence

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020

Tuesday, 8 September 2020

Questions (315)

Alan Kelly

Question:

315. Deputy Alan Kelly asked 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]

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Written answers

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.

*Headcount

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

33523

34642

35905

37482

38124

**Stress Leave Instances

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

990

924

859

800

320

Cases as a % of Headcount

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

3.0%

2.7%

2.4%

2.1%

0.8%

*Headcount figures are based on National Shared Services Office customer base as of 04 September 2020.

**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.

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