Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I always read the Minister's speech at this point in these proceedings because I believe it is important. In most cases, one comes in here with a pre-prepared speech but it is important to parse the words of the Minister and to seek to interpret them. His speech states:

Government is acutely aware that while public servants had FEMPI reversed and are due to receive further pay rises under the extension to the current Public Service Agreement, Building Momentum, those working in Community and Voluntary organisations are not covered by these arrangements. Nor are they covered under any Public Service Agreements negotiated between public service unions and the Government. Those working in the Community and Voluntary sector are not public servants and so, the Government does not...

There are a lot of nots and nos there. However, one seeks to be positive in interpreting the Minister's words. The speech goes on to say "I believe a process along these lines could play a useful role in providing solutions to the current pay related issues that have been raised, and which are referenced in today’s [Labour] motion." This statement relates to further engagement by the WRC. I hope that the Minister is today sending a signal that there are potentially grounds for a "process", to use the Minister's word, to be devised in which people could come around the table to begin to deal with these anomalies that exist.

In my area in Cork, organisations like Enable Ireland and the St. Joseph's Foundation operate. I was proud to join them in Charleville recently where speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and other professionals are rolling out Government policy. The Government established the children's disability network teams and expects organisations like the St. Joseph's Foundation and Enable Ireland to deliver on that policy. However, they are delivering on that policy with one hand tied behind their backs because there are people working in equivalent grades and professions, that is, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and so on, who are working in the HSE and have better terms and conditions. The mandate the Minister talks about can now change. Surely Government policy should demand that, if we are to roll out children's disability network teams and if that is a function of Government policy, the people who are rolling them out should have equal terms and conditions of employment. All we are asking for today is for Government to devise a process to allow trade unions and workers' representatives to come around a table and begin the change we all acknowledge is needed. The mandate needs to change and it is time for it to change so that there will be equality in the system. As I have said, people working as occupational therapists for the St. Joseph's Foundation should have the same terms and conditions as people working in the HSE. It is as simple as that. I am looking the Minister straight in the eye now and I hope that he is smiling because his Government will come up with a process. That is all we are asking for here today. That would give some semblance of hope to the many people we are seeking to represent.

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