Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2023
62. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Health the actions he is taking to ensure employees of Section 39 organisations receive the same pay and conditions as their counterparts employed in the HSE. [26393/23]
View answerFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the important role that Section 39 organisations and staff play in our health sector. They have a key role in providing services to people with disabilities and older people.
A process of engagement to examine the pay of workers in Community and Voluntary organisations was committed to by the Government in October 2022. While the Government has committed to a process, it is worth noting that Section 39 organisations are privately owned and run, and the terms and conditions of employment of staff in these organisations are ultimately between the employer and the employee.
On 17 April, officials from the Department of Health, the HSE, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and Tusla met with union representatives under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. This engagement sought to understand and explore the scope of the unions' claim for pay rises for Community and Voluntary sector workers. A follow up engagement took place at the Workplace Relations Commission on 15 May. A further up engagement is due to take place on 12 June. As this is an ongoing Industrial Relations process, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this point.
It is important to note that none of the organisations who are attending these exploratory talks at the WRC are the employers of the staff in question.
The Department notes that this is a cross-sectoral issue and cannot be taken in isolation.
