A representative of the Northern Ireland Conservatives in North Down, Julian Robertson, has criticised Finance Minister Sammy Wilson for his impotent response to high rates of sickness leave in the civil service.
“Sammy Wilson says that civil servants are “betraying their colleagues” by taking an average of 11 sick days off per year”, Julian remarked, “The question is what are the Finance Minister and his Executive colleagues doing to tackle the problem of public sector absenteeism?”
“In 2009 Mr. Wilson made precisely the same point, accusing civil service workers of “swinging the lead”. Sickness rates are costing the taxpayer £22.9 million per year, so, in the intervening two years, why hasn’t action been taken?”
“It’s all very well for Sammy to whinge about this predicament but the Executive is charged with delivering value for money and, particularly during an economic slump, it has to take charge of the problems facing Northern Ireland. Does the Finance Minister intend to do something about absenteeism or just to trot out another impotent complaint in two years time?”
“It seems like Mr Wilson is all talk and no action.”