Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is okay. We are very disciplined in this party. We will be supporting this motion. Unlike the Government, we will also support the amendment proposed by Solidarity-People Before Profit. While the Fianna Fáil motion does not address all the issues we would like to see addressed, it addresses the fundamental issue of equal treatment of all section 39 workers in relation to pay restoration.

I had a speech prepared, but then I listened to the Minister of State. It is not very often that I disagree with him, but I have to say that his contribution to this debate was quite insulting to many of the section 39 workers, to be honest. I refer to his statement that these "organisations are not obliged to pass on any pay reductions to their staff members". It is very clear that the pay of such staff has been reduced.

If, the Minister of State asked, the Health Service Executive is only funding 70% of an organisation's budget, should only 70% of the pay that was cut be restored. It would be insulting to do so considering that the affected front-line workers save the State a fortune by doing jobs the Government, through the Department of Health, should be doing in many areas. All the pay cuts were applied to them over the years and the unfairness that applies in respect of pay restoration must be addressed.

The Minister of State indicated he had great sympathy with the workers in question. They do not want sympathy. They want their pay restored as quickly as possible and to the same extent as it is being restored for all other public sector workers. When the pay of these workers was being cut, they were treated as public sector workers. Now that pay is being restored, we are being told they are outside the relevant agreements and the matter is one for the organisations in question to address. This is a load of codswallop. The Government must step up to the plate and recognise the value these workers are delivering to citizens, whether terminally ill patients, people receiving hospice care or disabled persons. They do a tremendous job and while it is fair to praise and commend them, it will not put food on their tables or a roof over their heads. The Minister of State must step up to the plate. He argued he was not passing the buck but that is precisely what he is doing. The Government must take responsibility for this issue.

See this speech in context