Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2022
338. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if the Government is actively engaging with community employment scheme supervisors regarding pay and conditions; and, if so, when the process is due to be completed. [60200/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra344. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Social Protection when, following a previous Labour Court finding, she intends to implement a mechanism to allow for wage increases to the said community employment supervisor category; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60241/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra383. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the pay claim by community employment supervisors. [60978/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 338, 344 and 383 together.
I value the role CE supervisors and assistant supervisors play on over 800 CE schemes in local communities across the country. They support CE participants to get work experience and develop future work opportunities for those who are long term unemployed, while providing essential services to local communities. As the Deputy is aware, CE supervisors and assistant supervisors are not employees of the Department and are not public servants. They are employees of individual schemes. This means that any discussions on employment related matters are complex.
In the role as funder of CE, Department of Social Welfare officials have ongoing engagement with community employment supervisors and their union representatives to discuss operational issues and other matters of common concern, the latest of these engagements was as recent as last Thursday.
The Department, as the funder of CE schemes, received correspondence earlier this year from Fórsa and SIPTU seeking a pay increase for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. The department has since been advised that Fórsa and SIPTU have referred a pay claim to the conciliation service of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). The WRC has issued an invite to the Department to take part in a conciliation process.
Any increase in pay rates that would potentially increase the overall cost to the state of funding schemes, or state funded activities in the wider community and voluntary sector, must take into consideration the potential cost to the exchequer. Given these budgetary implications, and the referral of other similar claims to the WRC, the Department is following-up with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Given the complexities involved in funding of CE, and the number of parties involved - it is not possible for the Department of Social Protection to indicate when these issues will be brought to a conclusion, however I have been pressing for progress on this issue and look forward to positive engagement from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
