Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. While I welcome her statement and am aware of how she works with all the various bodies, including HIQA, we are hitting a crisis. If we consider the pay and conditions in section 39 organisations, we will see what they are causing in the various departments. In addition to considering pay and conditions, we need to consider recruitment.

I wish to refer to a certain case I have been dealing with. I thank the Minister of State for her work on it. She and the Department of Health have allocated funding for a certain gentleman to go into the home of a service provider. The service provider, which does an excellent job, tells me it has no workers and will not be able to facilitate the man as a consequence. While I acknowledge the commitment and work of the Minister of State and the Minister, we are hitting crisis point. If we do not sort out the pay and conditions of section 39 organisations, put appropriate funding in place and recruit staff, it will not be addressed. This is a matter within the remit of both the Minister of State and Minister but I am panicking because the man is meant to go to the home shortly.

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