Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2017
155. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that all bodies impacted by cutbacks in the public sector are likely to receive recognition and recompense in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53940/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy is referring to private sector organisations in the Voluntary and Community Sector in respect of which my Department has not actual corporate responsibility or direct involvement. As non public servants, the staff of such organisations, which may exceed 100,000 in number, did not, for example, fall within the application of the FEMPI legislation involving as it did the reduction in pay and increase in pension contribution for public servants. It is correspondingly the case that current public service pay policy does not extend to such organisations.
It will be appreciated that such entities are accordingly self governing and accountable for the management of their own internal financial resources. While it is the case that certain or indeed, in some cases, all of these financial resources may come from government funding it remains the position that decisions on pay expenditure issues arising in such entities are matters that are determined at the discretion of the management authorities of each of the organisations concerned. The issue of pay is just one important challenge within a complex mix of other challenges and demands that the individual organisations concerned are required to decide upon and manage. Having regard therefore to these circumstances it is a matter for each of these private sector organisations to resolve the financial challenges that they may face in accordance with the financial resources available to them, whatever the source may be of such funding arrangements.
It is also important to note that in respect of Section 39 organisations, which are private sector concerns and a significant part of this sector, funding of almost €1billion was provided by the State in 2016. It is furthermore the case that Exchequer funding for Section 39 organisations has increased by over 15% between 2014 and 2016.
