Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of section 39 workers, some of whom are considering taking industrial action in the coming weeks because of the situation they are in. They cannot get a pay rise or increments. We all know and understand that the work they do is vital to our society. They work with people with disabilities, children with autism and so on. Most of them are professionals who are very qualified, such as nurses and other healthcare professionals. They do this work through a block grant that comes from the Government to the organisations and that block grant has stayed the same since around 2008. Those organisations therefore have huge problems retaining staff because the staff go off to other places where they can get increments and increasing salaries. The ones who are loyal and stay are on very poor wages and need an increase. In the budget, will the Government commit to providing some increments to ensure people in those positions, that is, section 39 workers, can have a future there?

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