Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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376. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on when Section 39 workers can expect to receive agreed pay increases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23713/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth acknowledges the essential role provided by the staff in organisations who provide services to some of the most vulnerable people in our society and recognises that the ability of community-based organisations to pay their staff is largely dependent on State funding.

To support the sustainability of services, including the ability of voluntary organisations to recruit and retain staff, the Department and its agencies are proactively engaged with a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process with unions representing staff in what are known as Section 39 and Section 56 organisations. The process also includes staff from providers in other sectors funded by separate statutory agencies and Departments.

The pay agreement reached in October 2023 delivered a significant increase in funding to these services, amounting to a phased 8% increase in funding for pay for Section 39 staff. An additional €41m has been made available to the HSE in 2024 to meet the full year cost of this increase for S39 disability service providers, with the balance provided for in the Department of Health Vote.

The HSE has contracted dedicated resources (KOSI) to work with employer organisations and has set up a portal to expedite payments. Significant interim payments were made to qualifying organisations in late January/early February 2024 and the HSE is currently in the process of administering the balance of funding to eligible organisations.

At 16th May, of 1,159 organisations to whom communication was made, 483 have made submissions. Almost all submissions require additional interaction between KOSI and the Section 39 organisation; this has been a positive interactive process involving validation and clarification. A number of Section 39s have taken the opportunity to adjust their submissions following this engagement.

This process is ongoing with Section 39 organisations who have submitted their claim. As at 16th May, 66 organisations which include the largest organisations have exited this process and KOSI has recommended a cumulative payment total to date of €30.3m (relating to uplifts due to 8,470 workers).

46 of these agencies have been paid/part paid with the balance (20 no. of agencies) to be paid over coming weeks.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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377. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if the necessary supports will be put in place as a matter of urgency for a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24031/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As this question refers to service matters, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.