Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It will be appropriate to answer that question after the WRC process has concluded and not before. The Deputy has made a fair point that organisations involved in this process might not be directly represented at the WRC, and I am sure that is the case. Many other organisations, however, are paid for by the State but their employees do not work for the State. If the principle is established to pay all future wage increases under public sector wage agreements to staff of every organisation that provides services on behalf of the State, but which are not State-owned, there will be major financial consequences.

I have asked that I be informed, organisation by organisation, how each organisation stands. Most of this work has been done and this has infused some dynamism into the process. I have evidence that some organisations have been able to pay wage increases to their staff to match what has been happening in the current phase of the Public Sector Stability Agreement, PSSA. At a bare minimum, I need to know the financial status of all of the different organisations at play here and understand their ability to pay. The challenge I face, however, is that if this principle is established, it will have consequences that will stretch beyond the health sector.