Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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89. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to address the restoration of pay in section 39 organisations; if the claim that there will be no retrospective pay element for section 39 workers will be addressed; if his Department and the HSE are actively engaging with section 39 organisations; if funding will be provided to ensure continued services, for example, users of a service (details supplied) which is at risk during planned strike action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37891/18]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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108. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to restore the pay for staff in section 39 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37963/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 108 together.

You will be aware that in February 2018, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between my Department, the HSE and health sector Trade Unions in relation to a process aimed at resolving the pay restoration issue for staff employed by section 39 bodies.

I asked the HSE to engage with the Section 39 organisations to establish the facts around what cuts were applied and how and when they were implemented. The HSE has completed the first phase of their work in relation to the 50 agencies identified as part of the WRC process.  This exercise has shown that of the agencies who returned data, a majority did apply pay reductions of some form.  It also showed that some agencies made some form of pay restoration between 2016 and 2018.

Two conciliation meetings took place between the parties at the WRC in July 2018. Unfortunately, the unions withdrew from this process and SIPTU indicated its intention to proceed with industrial action on 18 September 2018. 

However, I am pleased to say that on 14 September, SIPTU agreed to the deferral of industrial action in favour of reconvening talks on the issues in dispute at the WRC. These talks will commence on 18 September 2018.