Prison staff’s 41,000 sick days cost taxpayer €7.5m

More than 41,000 sick days were taken by prison staff last year, at a cost of €7.5m to the taxpayer.

The total of “sickies” is down 1,000 on 2012, when the bill was €7.7m.

In the first three months of this year, 9,029 sick days have been taken, with staff at Loughan House and Shelton Abbey the only ones not to miss a day in the first quarter.

Irish Prison Service (IPS) spokesman Sean Sullivan said 140 staff members on average are injured in the line of duty each year.

He said there were a variety of reasons behind the current levels of absenteeism. There has always been a link between higher absenteeism and people on night shifts or 12-hour shifts.

Mr Sullivan claims the work can be stressful, confrontational and violent at times.

“[However], we would see similar levels of absenteeism for people who are working in the stores and working in the admin side,” Mr Sullivan added.

He said short-term, either certified or uncertified, is more of an issue than long-term sick leave. “The big impact is on prisoners, if people don’t turn up the ability to get people down to schools and workshops and libraries and things like that is reduced.

“Now, what we have been told from the union side: if we introduce a system where people can avail of leave at short notice, the sick leave rates would improve,” Mr Sullivan said.

Sinn Féin’s Padraig MacLochlainn said the prison services needs to get the balance right — to accommodate those who have genuine medical concerns and tackle those taking advantage of sick leave entitlements.

“I would have a concern that we may not be resourcing our prisons as well as we could,” said Mr MacLochlainn.

With figures down this year compared with the first quarter of 2013, Mr Sullivan said they are actively engaging to reduce the figures further.

The IPS is introducing a new attendance management policy and improve communications between staff and management.

Two sick leave reviews were conducted in 2013 involving 1,774 staff.

According to Mr Sullivan, 299 warning letters were issued and 25 officers were put on sick leave without pay.

Mr Sullivan said the new regulations, which came into force this month and which reduce public service sick leave entitlements, will also have an impact.