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

I have not attempted in any way to under appreciate the contribution these workers make or the value of these organisations. I am making the point that the funding available to these organisations has gone up substantially over recent years. I have every reason to expect that upon publication of the HSE service action plan funding for those organisations will go up again next year, as it has in previous years. If organisations have made changes in payment to their staff during the period of FEMPI cuts taking place for those who worked directly for the public service those organisations should re-engage with their staff now. There are 100,000 individuals working in this sector across a wide variety of organisations but they do not work for the State and I cannot single out one sector, such as the hospices, which do great work because every other sector will expect the same ruling to be applied to them. This is why it must be a matter for the employers to work out with their employees.

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