Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 221: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if a number of acting community welfare officers who have permanent status with the Health Service Executive are retained in their posts as community welfare officers with permanent status when the service is transferred from her Department to the Department of Social and Family Affairs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8881/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The employment status of employees and their terms and conditions are just some of the issues which have already been identified and on which agreement will need to be reached with the relevant health sector unions, prior to the transfer of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the Health Service Executive to the Department of Social and Family Affairs. It would be neither possible nor appropriate at this stage, in advance of such an agreement being reached, to attempt to give figures in relation to the numbers or employment status of such staff.

I should reiterate that the management of the Executive, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and my Department remain committed to implementing the Government decision, which was originally taken in 2006, to transfer the CWS. There have been prolonged periods of engagement with the health sector unions since that time but, to date, no agreement has been reached. Most recently, facilitated talks had begun under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, with a small sub-group, representative of management and unions, engaged in intensive discussions. However, both SIPTU and IMPACT informed the Labour Relations Commission in January of this year, that they were not in a position to attend the conciliation conferences which had been scheduled to take place. This was due to the fact that they were to be engaged in intensive dialogue/consultation with their membership throughout the month of January, regarding the Government decision to reduce the remuneration of public servants. Following this consultation, I understand that both unions have informed the LRC that they are unable to engage in these discussions, due to the ongoing industrial action across the public service. As a result of this development, these intensive talks in relation to the transfer of the CWS cannot now go ahead as planned. This decision by the unions is unwarranted, given the already unacceptable delays in implementing a Government decision that was taken nearly 4 years ago now. Ultimately, this transfer is one which will see the CWS being properly located in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, and will result in a better service for the public who avail of it.