Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I only have a short time so I must be brief. We know there were significant cutbacks across all public services as a result of the economic downturn. As the economy has improved in recent years, many sections of our public services have seen restoration of pay and conditions. However, our section 39 agencies are being largely ignored and as a result they are now facing serious dilemmas on the ground. In my county, Kilkenny, I receive regular contact from section 39 agencies on this matter. One such agency, SOS Kilkenny, which I welcome to the Public Gallery, provides a vital life service to people in need of service for disabilities and of palliative care and greatly enhances the quality of life through opportunities of social inclusion for their service users. This is very important work. It has endured an annual financial deficit of €100,000 for some time and has begged, borrowed and stolen to hang on to its very talented and passionate staff and keep the show on the road. That has been happening for four or five years. This position is simply not sustainable and such problems are being echoed all across the section 39 sector. We must enable section 39 agencies to be able to pay and look after their staff. These workers are very well trained and have a genuine vocation for the important work they do and we must keep them and pay them what they are worth. We cannot afford to lose them because they cannot afford to live on what they are being paid. It is an unthinkable situation in 2018.

We must also remember the service users all across the country whose lives are greatly improved as a result of the crucial work done by our section 39 agencies and workers. They are the ones who will ultimately suffer a downgrade or interruption in services and a lowering of general standards if we cannot hang on to the great staff we have in this sector. They are well-educated, well-trained passionate people who do crucial work. We are reliably informed that section 39 workers are being headhunted and pinched from the agencies they work for because the agencies cannot afford to offer them the same level of pay and benefits that are offered elsewhere. That includes the HSE, which is pilfering employees from section 39 agencies because it is able to pay more money since its increments were improved. It is important to point out that if we end up in a situation in which services are interrupted or removed, it will become the responsibility of the State to care for the service users which will ultimately cost more than pay restoration and equality. I hope the Minister of State will take these concerns into consideration. If we lose these services, they will come back on to the State and cost the taxpayer more in the long run.

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