Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I concur with Senator Mark Daly's remarks on organ donation, which is very important. There are two other items. This afternoon, we will have a Private Members' debate on the judicial council. The Leader might indicate if he is aware at this stage whether the Minister intends to be here or if it will be the Minister of State. He may not be in a position to tell me but it would be helpful if we had some indication as to whether the Minister will be here.

An issue that was covered in all national media today relates to a story that the Department of Health recommended to the Government in a memo, some of the contents of which were published in national newspapers this morning, that it not agree to sanction an additional payment for the approximately 4,000 people who work overnight in care centres with vulnerable children and adults. These are qualified staff who must stay overnight due to the type of work they doing, in some cases in 24 hour shifts. Some of them are on duty for seven days but there are broken shifts. Prior to 2004, most of these people were receiving no remuneration because they were sleeping on the premises at night, which was considered inactive activity. They are key, trained care workers. There are issues here of child safety and health and safety more generally. There are a range of reasons for which people must stay overnight, supervise and be there for vulnerable people who are in their charge. It is very disappointing to read in our national newspapers this morning the suggestion that the Department of Health should write to the Government to ask it to hold back. They are on a basic, minimum wage, from €9.15 to €9.25 per hour.

Clearly, the Leader will not know the detail of this.It is something we should look at. We should draw attention to today's media comments on it, have a look at that and maybe ask the Minister when he is next in the House to touch on this area.