Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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485. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will clarify the reason tripartite talks between her Department, ILDN and Tús co-ordinators have been cancelled repeatedly by a principal officer (details supplied); when urgently needed talks will resume to address the 15% disparity in pay between Tús and CE supervisors, who have been eager to resolve this disparity for the past 18 months; if she will acknowledge the work that Tús supervisors do in supporting essential community services and its similarity to the work of CE supervisors; if she will recognise that a proposed deadline of 8 December 2023 is imminent and that further industrial action is likely in the event of a failure to engage immediately and fully; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54867/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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493. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is aware of a campaign to close the 15% pay gap between Tús supervisors and CE supervisors; if she is aware that some Tús supervisors are so badly paid that they qualify for the working family payment; if she will ensure that this pay gap is closed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55057/23]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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501. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the actions that are being taken to address the pay disparity between Tús and CE supervisors (details supplied), given the prolonged negotiations and delay; the steps being taken to prevent potential industrial action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55238/23]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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511. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update on the progress regarding the pay parity claim by RSS and Tús supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55403/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 485, 493, 496, 501 and 511 together.

My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed persons and low income farmers/fishers. I would like to acknowledge the important role that Tús and RSS supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country.

It should be noted that Tús and RSS supervisors are employees of the individual Implementing Bodies (Local Development Companies), which are funded by the Department.

Earlier this year, union representatives and employers agreed, with the assistance of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the support of Department officials, a wage increase of 5% for supervisors employed on Tús, RSS and CE schemes.

Officials in my Department continue to hold regular meetings with the supervisor's representative associations to discuss issues in relation to the delivery of all employment programmes. In recent meetings the representatives raised the issue of pay parity for Tús and RSS with CE supervisors.

It is important to note that there are differences in the work undertaken by CE supervisors compared to that undertaken by Tús and RSS, relating, for example, to the preparation of individual learning plans. As a consequence, we would expect the service fees paid to the service providers to reflect this difference in scope.

My Department, as funder of these schemes, and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform are considering the complexities involved in addressing this issue. It is also important to note that any changes to the fees paid or the funding model will require the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure , NDP Delivery and Reform.

Pending the outcome of these discussions, officials in my Department will continue to work with the Implementation Bodies and staff representatives in an effort to resolve the issue.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.