Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 October 2014
81. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health the reason home help staff on €11 per hour and €5 travel expenses will be expected to provide a quality service for our senior citizens and the sick. [39444/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra87. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive should not be obliged by the Department of Health to specify minimum terms and conditions for the staff providing home help services in help service organisations receiving section 38 funding. [39480/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 87 together.
Following engagement between the HSE and representative unions on a Labour Court recommendation concerning home helps in 2013 new contracts were issued to home helps working for the HSE with effect from 1st April 2014. These contracts provide each home help with a set number of hours and guaranteed income per week. These new contracts did not make any adjustments to the salary scales, set out as follows that apply to home helps employed by the HSE.
1st November 2013 Pay Scales - HSE Employed (Euro €)
|
Pay Scales |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
HOME HELPS |
24,754 |
26,330 |
27,504 |
27,994 |
28,494 |
28,987 |
29,492 |
30,044 |
30,525 |
||||||
|
HOME HELPS (NON-PAYPATH) |
25,096 |
25,737 |
27,884 |
28,041 |
28,199 |
28,287 |
28,376 |
28,466 |
28,552 |
28,642 |
28,730 |
28,827 |
28,918 |
29,016 |
29,109 |
In addition to the direct HSE provided home help service, the HSE also funds a number of voluntary (not for profit) home care organisations to provide mainstream home help services. These arrangements are provided for under Section 39 of the Health Act. These organisations, not being Section 38 agencies, are not required to apply the same terms and conditions as the HSE and accordingly rates of pay and other conditions offered vary from the HSE rates. The service agreements the HSE has in place with Section 39 providers encompass the quality of care to be provided.
