Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this very important issue and I am happy to clarify the position. By way of background, in April 2014, following a Labour Court recommendation, the HSE implemented new contracts for its directly employed home help staff. These contracts provided each home help with a guaranteed minimum number of hours per week and a guaranteed income each week with work assignments managed in a reasonable way to meet the needs of clients over the course of 12 months. This new contract was regarded by staff unions and management as a positive development for HSE employed home helps.

More recently, in 2017, the HSE engaged with SIPTU under a WRC conciliation to review current home help staff contracts. This review was provided for in the 2014 home help agreement. The aim was to ensure that contracted arrangements reflect the needs of the service, to maximise contracted hours for HSE directly employed staff and to take further steps towards professionalising the home support service. The agreement, under the auspices of the WRC will provide for an increase in contracted hours for more than 90% of home support staff if they choose to accept the HSE offers; a change of title from home help worker to healthcare support assistant to better reflect the nature of the services being provided; the introduction of rostered arrangements to give staff greater certainty regarding their hours of attendance, with travel time factored into these arrangements; the assignment of work bases; and a requirement that all new home help staff should possess, on recruitment, the minimum qualification equivalent to a relevant QQI approved major award at level 5 or higher.

While this agreement involves home help staff who are represented by SIPTU, the agreement will also have implications for the direct line managers of home help staff, the home help co-ordinators. These co-ordinators are represented by Fórsa. In particular, I understand the co-ordinators are concerned about the impact of this new contract on their role and responsibilities. I understand the HSE has met Fórsa at national level regarding the co-ordinators' concerns about the impact of the home help contract review and the HSE has made a number of proposals to address their concerns. These include the introduction of an IT system to assist in the production of rosters and an examination of the role and function of the home help co-ordinators under the clerical and administration job evaluation scheme. A review of the structure and supports of the role was also proposed. I understand that Fórsa has agreed to these proposals. I am advised that there was a specific issue relating to CHO4 with regard to briefing sessions for staff of the home help services getting under way. However, these have since been resolved and the HSE has informed me that these briefings are to commence this week.

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