Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I will undertake to engage with my Government colleagues. As she has rightly indicated, this cuts across a number of Departments. Many of the organisations fall within the Department of children. I have outlined on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, that Tusla has made payments. Some fall within the Department of Health or the health agency family. Some are within the Department of housing and its agencies. We have two things to do arising from this question. The first thing we need to do is to ensure that all of the agencies move forward as quickly as possible with regard to the agreement that was reached in October. The Government wants to see that happen. I will get the Deputy an update, following on from this, on that.

Secondly, as I referenced in my earlier answer, as a result of the new public sector pay deal, we have an opportunity and obligation to engage with the representative bodies of those staff working in the sections 10, 39 and 56 bodies. That is probably the best way to proceed. I am not sure we need a new implementation structure. I think there is a mechanism in place for engagement as a result of that. If the Deputy wants to correspond with me, I am happy to come back to her on that.

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