John Dolan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We often use the term "Manchester United". Today it is united in grief, despair and loss. We hope it is not loss of hope. The Civil Engagement group very simply also wishes to give its condolences, understanding, thoughts and prayers to those affected and those around them.

To move to another issue, I will address the current public pay negotiations and people with disabilities with regard to their services and supports. Some provider organisations - section 38 organisations - are effectively in the negotiations through their unions. Any pay and conditions implications and costs will be provided for by the State via the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This is not so for other organisations in the same communities providing the same services - those are section 39 organisations. They took the same cuts and had to deal with them. They are now being told to use the State's industrial relations machinery. There is no automatic bailout for them. Both sets of organisations are in the same labour market, but one will automatically move with the rising tide of pay conditions and increases that are agreed in this. In effect, they will have a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform bailout.

The section 39 organisations are in the same labour market, with the same pressures and similar staff, and still tied at the low water level of the cuts that they got. That is not sustainable or fair. It is not that it is not fair to the organisation, but it is not fair to the people the organisations are trying to serve. It is not sustainable and it will not result in quality services. This situation is now about to get worse through these negotiations. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the State decision maker on this, and I ask the Leader to urgently request that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform come to the Seanad to set out how he intends to quickly rebalance this so that the section 39 organisations have equal capacity to deliver quality and sustainable services, and to continue to work to be in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is in the driving seat. It negotiates and determines the budget for the Department of Health or for the HSE, not the Minister for Health. I am very sincerely and strongly calling on the Leader to have the Minister responsible come to this House and show how he will address this matter.