PRESS RELEASE
4 September 2008
PR/20/07/08
PAC Report Highlights Sickness Leave
A highly critical Public Accounts Committee report has revealed unacceptably high levels of sickness leave within the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS).
The report, published today, highlights that sickness absence levels in the NICS are more than twice that of the private sector, are thirty-six per cent higher than in Great Britain, and cost in excess of twenty-five million pounds per year.
Committee Chairperson, Paul Maskey MLA, said, "Sickness absence in the NICS is nothing new and is an issue which should have been dealt with long ago. Although there has been some reduction in sickness absence levels in the last four years, they remain unacceptably high. As so often happens when the public service is faced with a major challenge, there has been too much needless piloting of initiatives on a small scale, with little evidence of any implementation. What the Committee wants to see is meaningful action and change, rather than words and documents.
"The Committee recognises that while civil servants in the North do not take sickness absence any more frequently than in GB, the duration is almost twice as long. Early referral to an occupational health professional is clearly the key to addressing this issue and more should have been done in this regard.
“This report is a damning indictment of NICS management. Problems have been allowed to become entrenched, and it is evident that poor management techniques and a lack of effective responses from the Department of Finance and Personnel are to blame.
“Given the serious nature of these concerns, the Committee will want to re-visit this area on a regular basis and give it the constant vigilance it deserves.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Standing Orders under Section 60(3) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 have provided for the establishment of the Public Accounts Committee (the Committee). The main statutory function of the Committee is to consider accounts and the reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland (C&AG) laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.
- The C&AG is head of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) and is empowered to investigate any area of expenditure and has a statutory right of access to all files and papers in Departments and public bodies.
The PAC Committee members are:-
Alliance |
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Democratic Unionist Party |
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Mr Jim Wells 3,4,5 |
Sinn Fein |
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Social Democratic and Labour Party |
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Ulster Unionist Party |
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Progressive Unionist Party |
1 With effect from 04 March 2008 Mr Thomas Burns replaced Mr Patsy McGlone.
2 With effect from 20 May 2008 Mr Paul Maskey replaced Mr John O'Dowd.
3 With effect from 1 October 2007 Mr Mickey Brady replaced Mr Willie Clarke.
4 With effect from 21 January 2008 Mr Ian McCrea replaced Mr Mickey Brady.
5 With effect from Tuesday 27 May 08 Mr Jim Wells replaced Mr Ian McCrea.
Media enquiries to:
Debra Savage,
Information Office, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. BT4 3XX
Tel. 028 90521405 Mobile 07920 864221
Email: debra.savage@niassembly.gov.uk Website archive.niassembly.gov.uk