Mr. Peter Glynn:

I will answer the Deputy's question about the employment relations issues we are currently facing. I can confirm that we have members in Tús and the RSS. I can also confirm there is considerable frustration among the membership over the way with which employment relations issues, including pay, etc., have been dealt. I can also confirm that we have requested a return of the old stakeholders' forum that dealt with these issues. Before 2008, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Social Protection, employers' bodies and SIPTU were represented around a table and could discuss these issues. As it stands, we have to issue 847 notices for a pay rise in each of the CE schemes. We wrote to the Department to seek active engagement and that overture has been rejected.

On the most recent occasion we were before the committee discussing Tús and the RSS, we advised that hundreds of people from the community sector were marching about their conditions of employment. They have not received a pay rise in over 14 years. It saddens us to say that we will be selecting a number of organisations for a ballot for industrial action, which will take effect on 5 July. That is reflective of the frustration at the lack of progress in our engagement with the Department.