Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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86. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address the crisis in the shortage of funding to deal with the provision of section 39 services (details supplied) that are struggling to continue to provide the necessary services for children and adults. [38903/22]

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I respectfully ask the Minister to address the crisis in respect of the shortage of funding to deal with the provision of services by the Kerry Parents and Friends Association as section 39 workers who are struggling to continue to provide necessary services for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

They do specialised, challenging work and they operate to the highest standards. On top of everything else, they have not been paid the Covid-19 bonus payment of €1,000.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I join Deputy Danny Healy-Rae in acknowledging the extraordinary work that Kerry Parents and Friends Association provides. It provides critical services to adults with intellectual disabilities in the Deputy’s constituency, including day services, residential services, respite and outreach services. I am advised that the association has identified funding challenges to the HSE due to the changing service user needs, specifically the additional home supports that they are providing. I understand the association is currently facing issues in fundraising to supplement the current HSE funding.

It is relevant to say that the HSE - or the State or Government - currently funds the association to the tune of €13.6 million, so there is a significant amount of Government funding allocated to the association for the fantastic work it does. Discussions on all these issues are ongoing with the disability team in CHO 4. It is also relevant to point out that this organisation was one of the first 50 section 39 organisations to benefit from the first phase of the pay restoration since 2019. As the Deputy will be aware, there has been an ask for pay restoration in line with the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation from the section 39 organisations. The Government started with 50 organisations, based broadly on size and some other criteria, and the association was in that first group of 50. I know that has made a big difference.

More generally, I am mindful of the significant challenges faced by section 39 organisations right throughout the country. They are funded by the Government to provide vital services to communities in the areas of disability, mental health, older persons, palliative care, social inclusion and other areas. Energy and transport costs, as well as wider inflation pressures, are presenting specific issues. To that end. the Government has created a €100 million fund for this winter and organisations such as this will be recipients of funding from that allocation.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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I appreciate that talks have taken place and further talks are to take place. I look forward to that. As section 39 workers, these staff are not fully funded by the HSE. This impacts on the Kerry Parents and Friends Association because it is operating on an extremely tight budget and funds from fundraising are often used towards the costs of service provision. Pay parity is also an issue with the recruitment of new staff as the association cannot compete with or offer the pay available to section 38 workers. The Kerry Parents and Friends Association has 350 workers operating from 30 centres throughout Kerry doing tremendous work providing day services, residential services, respite, home support and outreach. Its staff pick up people with intellectual disabilities by bus and bring them in to the centres for the day. They do tremendous work and I feel they are not being appreciated. The Kerry Parents and Friends Association continues to be committed to delivering these services and supports related to the needs, wishes and choices of the people with these intellectual disabilities in their communities in places like Killarney, east Kerry and throughout County Kerry.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy, on my behalf, on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who has responsibility for disabilities, and on behalf of the Government, the work the association in Kerry does is acknowledged and hugely appreciated.

Over €13 million of funding from the Government is provided to the association for the fantastic work that it does. On top of that, it was one of the first section 39 organisations in the country to benefit from increased funding for FEMPI reversal or de facto FEMPI pay reversal. Furthermore, it will be among the recipients of funding from the €100 million fund. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is looking at between €60 million and €65 million from that fund for disability services and exactly the kinds of activities the Deputy has rightly raised. Energy costs, transport costs and bringing children and adults from home to services are exactly the kinds of areas on which I, the Minister of State and the Government want to support these organisations through this energy crisis.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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Approximately €60 million of extra funding for disabilities was announced in the budget. How is this to be divvied out? Will it be used to bring pay parity to these section 39 workers, especially the staff of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association? The association has operated these services since 1978 and the individuals who work in it are suffering because of the increase in the cost of living, as is everyone else, and they are being left behind. There is a shortfall in funding for the Kerry Parents and Friends Association and I ask the Minister to address it. I appreciate that discussions have taken place and further discussions are to take place. However, I am also asking the Minister to ensure these valuable people get the €1,000 that has been paid to other staff in other sections of the HSE. They are definitely entitled to it, without a shadow of a doubt.

Section 39 workers do the very same work as section 38 workers. Why is a distinction made between them? All over the world, people fight equal rights. I am asking that the same rights be given to these section 39 workers, especially in the Kerry Parents and Friends Association in Killarney.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the funding for this winter, there is a service level agreement in place between the association and the HSE. This will be used with this section 39 organisation and all the others to determine their portion of the €60 million to €65 million provided just for the disability sector. That is a very significant amount. Broadly, the organisations will be able to use that money as they see fit to deal with energy costs. Of course, there will be guidance around that but that is the mechanism that is being worked through at the moment.

With regard to the special recognition payment, I have had intensive engagement with HSE and it is mobilising to fast-track the payment to the section 39 workers. It may be the case that some of the workers, for example, those who are working in residential services, would get it because they are covered by the recognition payment. There are clear guidelines in place for who will get that. For everyone who meets those guidelines, I have asked the HSE to fast-track those payments.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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They should all get it.