Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2019
488. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties of an organisation (details supplied) with regard to retrospective payments to its staff due to FEMPI; the position regarding reimbursing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29843/19]
View answer489. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an organisation (details supplied) was included in the initial pilot of 50 section 39 agencies to be considered for pay restoration to staff and that the report was submitted to the HSE in December 2018; the status of the report; if there is an update planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29845/19]
View answer491. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an organisation (details supplied) is no longer reimbursed to allow it to pay increments to staff who care for clients and that this is leading to staff shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29849/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 489 and 491 together.
The Deputy will be aware that in February 2018, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between my Department, the HSE and health sector Trade Unions in relation to a process aimed at resolving the pay restoration issue for staff employed by section 39 bodies in 50 pilot organisations. The 50 organisations included were agreed at the WRC by all parties.
I asked the HSE to engage with the Section 39 organisations to establish the facts around what cuts were applied and how and when they were implemented. This exercise showed that of the agencies who returned data, a majority did apply pay reductions of some form. It also showed that some agencies made some form of pay restoration between 2016 and 2018.
Following constructive engagement with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission, an agreement was reached on 2 October between the parties. Pay restoration is now being processed and is commencing with an annual pay increase of up to €1,000 in April 2019 for those employed by the 50 organisations involved in the pilot. Any outstanding balance will be paid in two equal amounts in 2020 and 2021.
