Written answers
Thursday, 8 February 2024
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Departmental Staff
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 828 of 13 June and 829 of 13 June 2023, what if any benefits accrued to Department of Social Protection employees who were former community welfare officers under the HSE and who paid a 5% levy on their incomes from October 2011 to December 2015; if no pension benefit has accrued in respect of these payments, if her Department will sanction the return of these payments to the employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6010/24]
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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232. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a cohort of workers funded by her Department (details supplied) have not received a pay increase in 15 years; if any pay increases are planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5813/24]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department which funds and supports the eight regional companies of the Citizens Information Service (CIS).
I absolutely recognise and value the essential work carried out by staff of the CIS and their dedication to their role in ensuring that people have access to quality and independent information, advice and advocacy services across the country.
DSP allocates annual Exchequer funding to CIB to deliver its services and the services of its Service Delivery Companies, including the CIS companies. However, staff of the CIS are not employees of my Department nor are they public servants. They are employees of independent companies that provide important services to CIB, which are delivered under a Service Level Agreement between each company and CIB.
In July 2023, as part of the Estimates process, a funding request for 2024 was submitted to my Department, which included additional funding for an 11% pay increase for employees of the CIS. My Department understands that this followed a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process that directly involved both SIPTU and the CIS Employers Group. There was no involvement of CIB in the WRC process.
Neither was my Department aware of this pay request in advance. It is important that any pay request, which impacts important services, are carefully considered well in advance and have the involvement of the relevant stakeholders from early in the process.
I therefore believe that the best way forward is for the relevant stakeholders, including CIB, the employer, staff CIS representatives, to engage further on this issue.
I trust this answers your query.
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