Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on the long-running industrial dispute between her Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs that is preventing greater flexibility in the provision of community welfare services to persons who have become unemployed. [26265/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The long-running industrial dispute referred to by the Deputy is not in fact between my Department and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, but rather arises from resistance by the trade unions representing the staff employed in the Community Welfare Service, SIPTU and IMPACT, to the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the HSE to the Department of Social and Family Affairs taking place.

The Government decided in 2006, to transfer certain functions carried out in the Health Service Executive to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, including the transfer of income and support schemes, together with associated resources. A considerable amount of preparatory work for the transfer of the Community Welfare Service has already been completed. The IT, accommodation and financial management aspects are well advanced. The necessary legislative changes have been made and are subject to a Commencement Order.

Following on from the involvement of the National Implementation Body in December 2006, a Joint Liaison Group was set up comprised of the Unions, the HSE and the Departments of Health and Children and Social and Family Affairs to allow discussions take place to deal with the concerns of the staff involved. An independent facilitator, Mr. Conal Devine, was appointed to chair the discussions. While some progress was made during the discussions in relation to the future role of the Community Welfare Officers, no agreement has been reached in a number of areas related to terms and conditions of employment. These include pay assimilation to civil service pay scales and the future career path arrangements for the staff on transfer. The Government has recently considered a report on the progress of the transfer of functions programme and is determined that the transfer of the Community Welfare Service should be progressed. I understand that the HSE has requested that the Labour Relations Commission invite both parties to a conciliation meeting as soon as possible.