Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I have raised this issue before but I want to raise it again before the recess. Workers in community and voluntary sector posts not in receipt of funding through HSE channels are not technically section 39 organisation workers. I refer to workers in organisations such as local drugs and alcohol task force groups. Such workers have been excluded from pay restoration and WRC processes. In nominal terms, many earn less now than they did in 2008. For example, a regeneration worker in a local community project now earns €5,000 less a year than he or she would have in 2007. I have more case studies here showing how poorly wages compare with pre-2009 levels. Despite the fact that I have submitted a number of parliamentary questions and put a number of questions to Ministers, I have not received clarity. The workers certainly have no clarity as to how and when this issue will be resolved. Terrible disrespect is being shown to this group of workers. The most recent reply I received said that the Department is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it in a timely manner. That is 15 years after the austerity cuts and nine months after the WRC agreement. What measures is the Government taking to ensure that all workers in the voluntary and community sector receive pay restoration and are part of WRC processes?

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