Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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293. To ask the Minister for Health the status of plans to relieve the financial burden which non-section 39 voluntary hospice groups are under (details supplied) in view of the difficulties they are facing with having to implement both the Lansdowne Road and public sector pay agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50403/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I should clarify from the outset that the North West Hospice in Sligo receives grant funding from the HSE under Section 39 of Health Act 2004 which forms part of its income.

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 in 50 pilot organisations. The 50 organisations included were agreed at the WRC by all parties. This list did not include North West Hospice in Sligo.

The HSE has completed the first phase of their work in relation to the 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. Following constructive engagement with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission, an agreement was reached on 2 October between the parties. Pay restoration will commence with an annual pay increase of up to €1,000 in April 2019 for those employed by the 50 organisations involved in the pilot. Any outstanding balance will be paid in two equal amounts in 2020 and 2021.

It is recognised that some of the remaining organisations will have pay restoration issues also. A process of engagement to address this will commence in 2019.