Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is an alternative to industrial action, namely, talking and engaging, which is generally the way we settle industrial disputes. We have dealt with a number of such disputes in the health sector since my appointment as Minister. I do not need to wear a badge to prove my record of willingness to engage and work through issues.

Deputy Broughan is entirely correct that a number of organisations are experiencing a recruitment and retention challenge. I accept that a person working in a section 39 organisation could receive a higher salary in a section 38 organisation and I see how this will play out and cause difficulty for organisations. I also hope the Deputy will also accept the legitimacy of the point that there are 2,300 section 39 organisations, ranging from groups that receive grants of a few hundred euro to organisations that receive grant of many millions and provide vital services nationwide.

In terms of the timeline for concluding the mapping process, this is one of the issues on which I want to reach agreement with the trade unions and other stakeholders. I could announce the process but I want to try to agree it with the stakeholders. There is time to achieve this and the process should be agreed as quickly as possible in order that we can provide reassurance to service users regarding their services next week. It is only by getting into a process that we will be able to successfully resolve this issue.

See this speech in context