Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to voice my support for, and stand in solidarity with, section 39 health and social services workers who provide essential health and social services in our community. In particular, I support their call and case for pay restoration. Their circumstances have been highlighted. Basically, the situation is that they took cuts to their pay, the same as their counterparts working directly for the HSE. Those in the public service working directly for the HSE can have pay restoration under the financial emergency measures in the public interest legislation. However, because these workers work for organisations that get a block grant from the HSE, they have no guarantees on pay restoration. It would seem from listening to the workers that some have received some or partial restoration, but others have not received any. It is altogether haphazard.

While I understand that it is complicated because they are not in the direct employment of the HSE, we cannot lose focus on what is fair in this. They are doing similar work to people in direct HSE employment. They should be paid a fair wage and should benefit from the uplift in the economy, the same as public services workers. I call for the Minister to be invited to the House to set out the pathway whereby the issue can be clarified and these workers can be given their fair pay.