I’m sick to death of criticism of the public service

I WISH to respond to your lead story (April 30) regarding the supposedly excessive number of uncertified sick days taken by civil servants in recent years, the latest in a series of malicious cheapshot articles attacking public servants that you have published.

The figures for sick days taken in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which you chose to highlight in a sensationalist fashion more appropriate to a trash tabloid newspaper, are in no way excessive.

Given that the department employs approximately 5,000 staff, the average number of uncertified sick days taken is around 1.2 days per person per year – are you seriously suggesting that this minimal level of absenteeism is problematic?