Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

First, I acknowledge the important, critical and great work that everyone in the section 39 organisations does. I recognise the example of their critical role in that even in this period of strife, their union representatives, as I understand, are looking to ensure essential services continue and that they minimise the impact on service users and their families. Such an impact is not their intent in any way. There is a real issue regarding these workers' pay and structural arrangements and how they are organised. One thing that is clear is that, in the current environment, the Government is not the direct employer. Their employers are separate entities that have responsibility legally and in every other way for these matters. They are not included within the Building Momentum agreement. That does not mean we do not think they should have similar rights, pay and other conditions to workers who are doing similar work. That is an issue they will have to address through the employment and labour organisations of the State. It is something over which we do not and cannot have direct control.

See this speech in context