I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 313 and 410 together.
On 9 February 2018, an agreement was reached at the WRC between the Department of Health, 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. While it is understood that pay savings were made by the organisations, the precise mix of pay cuts or other savings measures will have varied. Also, where there were pay cuts, it is not at all clear that they were applied in a universally consistent manner, as is the case in the public sector.
Therefore, the Government has put in place a process to establish a deeper understanding of the funding position in these grant - aided organisations and the true extent of the pay reductions applied. The Minister for Health 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.
On foot of agreement at the WRC, the interim data gathering exercise is being progressed. The HSE has shared a draft of the interim report, which covers a sample of 50 agencies identified in the WRC agreement, with the staff side. Upon receipt of feedback it will be finalised and issued formally to the DoH. Initial indications are that of the 50 pilot sites, most did apply pay reductions and only some have commenced pay restoration.