John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This did not happen today or yesterday. This has been going on for successive Governments, which have failed miserably to deal with the issue. It is the price we pay for the status quoand protecting the system.

It is causing worry and anxiety to families and individuals up and down the country. All the voluntary organisations involved, regardless of how they are described under whichever section, give significant commitment and passion to the job they do. It is unequalled anywhere. Any investment into the sector yields at least four or five times its value. That investment in that sector should start with those who are employed. The Minister should remove the difference between the different sections and their pay scales. The Minister should acknowledge the contribution that they make, not in a piecemeal way but upfront and directly, by paying them what they are due. Respect them for the work they do. If the Minister respects them, then he will pay them.

I believe that Ministers, after this debate, should be focused on all the groups that are involved and demanding everyone to sit around that table, every day, all day, until it is resolved, because it is a significant issue for the Government and equally for those who are threatening to strike. They do not want to go on strike but, unfortunately, they are not being recognised by the Government for the work they do. The Minister is causing consternation and disruption of the services at a time when it is absolutely not needed. There is money in the coffers of the State to settle it and to once and for all show respect to those workers and bring them on par, and to take away the pressure from those who are managing within all of these sections. That includes the pressure of trying to keep staff who want to stay with the organisations, but because of the cost-of-living issues and many other issues in their lives have to try to get a better-paid job. I suggest that many would stay in their employment if only they had the right terms and conditions.

It is true to say that those who lobby the hardest, the creaking door, get the attention. I believe we have to insist on the focus on a group that is dedicated to its work and does not creak loudly often, and it should have done so. With that in mind, I again emphasise the need for the Minister to get around that table today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes.

It is interesting to look at how the State interacts with all these agencies. Those players in the State, within the Civil Service and indeed the political elite, are quite happy to see all these workers work all the hours that God will send them because they like doing what they do and are passionate about their work. That is how the Government gets away with not paying them, but it is not good enough anymore. Every Member of this House, Government or Opposition, will support what is being said here today. We need to emphasise to both the Civil Service which deals with it and the politicians who are meant to give leadership in this area that they need to resolve it now and that the strike should not take place next Tuesday.

The other interesting aspect of this is that the example could be given of the Covid payments. They were a good news story and everyone was going to get paid. What happened? Many people who expected to get paid were not paid at all. That is a shame. Shame on the State for not having it planned properly, for not having sufficient funds in place and now, at this late stage, for ignoring the pleas from those who have not been paid to be paid. It is not good enough for the State to turn a deaf ear to them or any group. It is not right and it is not good governance either. If good governance is to play any role in this, it means that the employers, the Government and all involved should be around the table immediately.

I fully respect all the work that these organisations do. It is a disgrace and a shame that they are having to threaten strike action to achieve what they want. It is also taking substantial resources away from the front line and putting them to work to try to fill the gaps that might be created should the strike go ahead. It is the most appalling example of bad management I have seen in a long time. It has been caused by one government after another being willing to turn that blind eye to what was going on. I am delighted that the organisations are now standing in solidarity with them, like we are today, and saying to the Government to pay up and show them respect, and that they will get on with the work.

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