Government has rubbished claims that it has been flouting its own health and safety regulations because of the poor upkeep of its facilities ? while admitting more maintenance funding is needed to bring all 700 buildings in line with safety codes.

A senior figure at the Department of Health and Safety slammed Government on Monday for what the source described as its ?dangerous and pathetic? approach to the issue of health and safety across the civil service.

Faults in the structure of Government buildings are often not reported for weeks, the source said, and when they are it takes an already stretched Ministry of Works and Engineering even longer to correct them ? adding significantly to the cost of repair and forcing some civil servants to work under conditions in contravention of the Health and Safety Act.

But a Government Press statement released last night argued such criticism was unjustified, suggesting the Ministry of Works and Engineering takes its responsibility ?very seriously? and that its ?standard protocols? for dealing with health and safety issues are largely effective.

The statement conceded, however, that communication between those who work in Government buildings and the Ministry is not as swift as it could be ? raising valid questions over the effectiveness of building superintendents who are charged with this responsibility.

However, moves are afoot to correct this problem according to the statement.

But Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley was not buying the Ministry?s generally upbeat response, suggesting that a responsible and honest Government would have been prepared to admit that the situation as it stands needs ?drastic? improvement.

And a former Works and Engineering employee who has lent his support to the criticism yesterday described the Government?s reaction as a ?laughable ? typical of the vague Government statements put out all the time which never really answer any of the burning questions?.

Yet the statement insisted that condition surveys are carried out on the more than 700 Government buildings on a regular basis, and are designed to ?ensure as much as possible that problems are dealt with promptly, according to their severity?.

?There is a comprehensive repairs and maintenance system known as PIMS (Property Information Management System) in place which is used to deliver the necessary works to preserve Government property,? the statement read.

?All repair tasks are logged and tracked using this system and it allows the Ministry to prioritise essential health and safety as well as emergency work. The Ministry is seeking additional maintenance funding to bring a larger number of buildings up to the ever changing code requirements.?

The Ministry is not idly sitting on its hands, the statement continued, and cited a number of projects which are underway as evidence of its ?proactive? stance.

The painting and cleaning of all Government schools, electrical upgrades at Paget Primary School, major interior and exterior maintenance work at the Victoria Street Medical Clinic and the recent refurbishment of Global House on Church Street were listed as examples.

And while clarifying that maintenance of facilities under the control of Government Quangos is not the responsibility of Works and Engineering, the statement also alluded to a number of courses currently offered to civil servants by the Ministry of Health, which reportedly highlight the importance of safety in the workplace.

Mr. Dunkley meanwhile expressed his dissatisfaction with a Government response which ?says nothing of any substance?.

?I?m so disappointed with the reaction of this Government to an issue which has been a problem for some time,? he said.

?If private businesses are found to be in contravention of the Health and Safety Act, then the Government comes down on them like a ton of bricks ? though it is obvious that it does not even have its own house in order. Its setting such a poor example and rather than fronting up to the criticism, all the Ministry has done is make excuses. We all know there are a lot of buildings to maintain but that is no excuse for shoddy practice when it comes to the very important issue of health and safety in the workplace. It is a question of leadership.?