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

We need to pay people properly, but as I said a moment ago, we need the income stream to support that. There is a lot of understanding and sympathy within the Government for the case the Deputy is making because workers in section 39 organisations are doing very important caring and other valuable work for the State. They are not directly employed by the State, but that should not absolve us or the State from looking to address disparities where they exist. It is a complicated issue. Trade unions and others are involved in the resolution. I understand the Department of Health has the key role in terms of working with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to try to resolve what in my mind is an anomaly that needs to be resolved, in that certain categories of workers are not being treated the same as those doing similar work. The issue will not be easily or immediately resolved but I would like to see the issue resolved.

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