Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Many, if not most of the people who broadcast the proceedings in this Dáil who work for Oireachtas TV are on precarious, or "if and when" contracts, where they basically do not get paid if the Dáil or the committees are not sitting during Christmas, during the summer and other breaks. Most of these part-time workers earn approximately €12,000 per year. I could not believe it when they told me. A big contract is given to the company that provides these services but these workers are asking they get some kind of retainer because they have to be available to do the work of broadcasting the proceedings, which is an important role for all the parties, democracy and the Dáil. However, they are on miserable pay and conditions and the company that has been given the contract is not currently entertaining in any serious way their request for improved pay and conditions and for a retainer during those periods when they are not working. I have raised it at the Business Committee and in the Dáil previously but I would like the Government to intervene in this. It is disgraceful that people broadcasting these proceedings should be on this miserable earnings and on "if and when" contracts.

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