Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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680. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to introduce equivalent pay for staff providing equivalent care in the nursing home sector considering the current disparity in costs between the private and public nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16073/22]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am very aware of the strategic workforce challenges which includes pay rates across the nursing homes sector, however, in my capacity as Minister for Older Persons and Mental Health, I have no function in determining the rate of pay in private nursing homes.

I am eager to address the challenges being faced and as such I wish to highlight the Cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group which has recently been established, under my direction. It's work will centre on examining and proposing recommendations on the strategic workforce challenges, including pay rates, recruitment and retention of workers, in front-line carer roles in home support and in nursing homes.

I opened the Groups inaugural meeting on 3rd March 2022, at which the Terms of Reference were agreed. They are available on the Department’s website:

gov.ie - Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler launches the first meeting of the Cross-Departmental Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Health Care Assistants (www.gov.ie).

The Group will progress a structured programme of ongoing consultative engagements with stakeholders to further explore and define the issues, listen to stakeholder views, and identify approaches to respond to the strategic workforce challenges including the recruitment of staff.

The Group will also provide a forum for agreement on strategic approaches to address the workforce challenges in the sector and develop a report for my consideration outlining the Group’s key findings, recommendations, and a proposed action plan to support implementation of these recommendations to include periodic monitoring of progress.

The Group is working to a tight timeline and is committed to providing a set of recommendations to me by September 2022.