Jimmy Deenihan
Question:154 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health the rate of payment to home helps in each of the eight health board regions; and his views on whether the system is an equitable one.
Written Answers. - Rate of Payment to Home Helps.
The salary scale for full-time homes helps with effect from 1 December 1993 is in the range of £182.18 — £193.46 per week. This scale applies throughout the country and is increased from time to time in accordance with increases granted to non-nursing personnel.
With regard to persons engaged in the home help service on a part-time basis, the position is that the rate of remuneration varies throughout the country and the rates are determined by the particular requirements and type of task undertaken in individual cases. The rates currently applying in the Health Boards are as follows:—
|
£ |
|
|
Eastern Health Board |
2.50 |
|
Midland Health Board |
2.50 |
|
Mid-Western Health Board |
2.40 |
|
North-Eastern Health Board |
1.45 |
|
North-Western Health Board |
2.69 |
|
South-Eastern Health Board |
1.00 — 2.50 |
|
Southern Health Board |
1.40 |
|
Western Health Board |
1.00 |
It should be noted that payments made to part-time home helps do not come within the scope of the PAYE system. Neither is such income taken into account for the purposes of a means test where a part-time home help (or the spouse of a part-time home help) is in receipt of a means tested social welfare payment.
The issue of payment for part-time home helps has been raised on a number of occasions in the recent past. It was in response to previous questions in this House that I undertook to raise the concerns regarding pay and other matters with the Chief Executive Officers of the Health Boards. I have contacted the boards requesting that, as a group, the Chief Executive Officers consider the issue of differences in the rates of pay to home helps between Boards and the diversity of arrangements for providing the service.
I understand that this group have already begun to work on appraising these issues which I would hope will help to identify and evaluate the concerns regarding the remuneration of home helps in the context of maintaining a valuable and effective Home Help service.