Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will take two minutes, Deputy Broughan five and Deputy Fitzmaurice two.

We have a long way to go before people with a disability, their carers and those who work with them feel they are getting the same respect as others in society. We take very easily to cutting funding for people with a disability, yet even a slight suggestion that we would increase corporation tax is treated with derision.

Almost a year ago, there was a meeting between the Minister for Health, Department officials and the Irish Wheelchair Association. Certain actions were agreed to try to bring about a quick resolution to this matter. Obviously, there has not been a resolution. We know the background, namely, the cut to the funding that was made in 2009. In the public pay sector, funding is now being restored. However, it is only available to section 38 workers and not section 39 organisations. Historically, these workers were linked to the HSE pay scales. It is unjust that among workers who are providing disability services for the State and are employed by the HSE, those working for a section 38 agency are on one salary while those doing the exact same work under a section 39 agency are on a different pay scale.

The section 39 agencies are, as we know, under obligation to award the restored pay scales as per the various Lansdowne Road and public pay agreements. Where is the funding going to come from so that they can honour those agreements? The danger is that the impact will be on services and that there will be an impact on section 39 agencies retaining staff. This is a matter of justice for section 39 workers. They were public servants when it came to taking the pay cut but suddenly they are not public servants when it comes to pay restoration.

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