Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for outlining the business of the day. As he mentioned, Fianna Fáil Members have a Private Members' motion relating to Irish Water and water services in this country. I ask people to have a look at what the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, stated in the debate prior to Christmas. This will afford people time to consider what has happened since. Yesterday, Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell, in her inimitable Independent manner, asked a number of questions about the public forum that was to be set up and various other elements that she was promised at the time to ensure she would vote for the Bill. I remind people that it could have been stopped here in the Seanad. The debate might afford her and others who took the soup before Christmas an opportunity to see if the promises they were given have been seen through. I argue that they have not been followed up.

When the Minister for Health was before the Seanad yesterday, I looked at issues I raised with him and his predecessor over the year regarding low-paid home help workers. I have highlighted this on a number of occasions over the past two and half years. The Government is in breach of two Labour Court recommendations indicating that home help workers are entitled to 4.5 weeks of pay per year of service in lieu of pension entitlements. The Government stated that the money would be paid in 2012, and when it did not have the money - as we could understand - it indicated that it would be paid in 2013, but it was not done then either. It also stated that the money would be paid in 2014, but it was not paid. I raised the issue with the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, by writing to him on 31 July, but was astonished to find he did not know anything about it. He indicated that he was not aware of the issue. I gave him a copy of the letter and wrote to him again, but I have still heard nothing from him.

There are approximately 15,000 workers affected by this. It is a Labour Court recommendation that as these people have no pension entitlements, a once-off gratuity should be paid. Most of these home help workers, who are front-line staff in our health service, are low-paid workers. The average payment to them is approximately €10,000, with a total cost to the State of approximately €15 million. We are getting a wall of silence on this none the less. If we are serious about the independence of our Labour Court and the industrial relations mechanisms in this country, surely to God the Government should not be in breach of two Labour Court recommendations. It should pay these workers the money due.

I want to table an amendment to the Order of Business specifically on this matter: that the Minister for Health or a junior Minister - perhaps Deputy Kathleen Lynch, if she is in better form today - come to the House to address this specific issue of home help workers. I have been writing to the Department for two and a half years about this but I have gone no further towards a solution.