Department staff clocked up 20,000 sick days in 3 years

STAFF in the Department of Social and Family Affairs have clocked up almost 20,000 uncertified sick days since 2006.

As the numbers out of work hit a record high, documents released under Freedom of Information show staff from Mary Hanafin’s department have already taken 1,705 so- called ‘duvet days’ this year — and are one of the worst offenders across all Government departments.

More than a quarter of the sick days were on a Monday.