Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his constructive words. I do think it is fair to describe services as having been outsourced. Indeed, as the Tánaiste acknowledged, the State has a long history of outsourcing vital public services such as health and education to voluntary bodies, notably the Catholic Church and religious orders resulting in a shadow welfare state. Now in 2022, we need to ensure that we move to a different mode of delivery of services and that the State is stepping in to ensure those who are providing the same services as HSE staff but are doing so through being employed by voluntary bodies get the same pay and conditions, otherwise it is inevitable that the HSE, the NHS and others will seek to recruit them. The Tánaiste will be aware that pay claims have been submitted as part of the ICTU-led Valuing Care, Valuing Community campaign supported by SIPTU, Fórsa and the INMO in particular to ensure that staff working through these voluntary bodies, including section 39 and section 56 organisations, will have equivalent pay and conditions to their counterparts employed directly through the HSE and Tusla. Otherwise we will simply see a real diminution of services throughout the country.

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