Low work accident rates

THE Minister for Labour Affairs, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald, has said Ireland has one of the lowest accident-at-work levels in Europe. Launching information packs for European safety week yesterday, she said a recent Eurostat report placed Ireland in the second-lowest position for the incidence of accidents at work leading to an absence of more than three days. Sweden's rate was 1,054 days missed in 100,000, Ireland's was 1,168, Britain's 1,697, the Netherlands' was 4,849 and Portugal's was 9,532.