Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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466.To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to detail the action she is taking to avert strike action by workers in the National Advocacy Service who have not received a pay rise that was recommended by the Labour Court. [25138/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge and value the important advocacy services that the National Advocacy Service (NAS) provides to adults with disabilities across the country, helping to ensure their will and preferences are heard in decisions that affect their lives.

As you may be aware, NAS is a Company Limited by Guarantee, and a registered charity, that is funded by the Citizens Information Board (CIB) to provide services. CIB lies under my Department's aegis.

CIB has informed my Department that NAS employees have balloted for industrial action, starting on the 12th June, and, as funders of CIB, we are monitoring the situation closely.

I am encouraged to hear from CIB that a meeting took place between CIB and NAS on 30th May to discuss the NAS business case which was submitted to CIB on 10th May, following the Labour Court recommendation. This meeting was facilitated by Mr Kevin Duffy, former Chair of the Labour Court, and a roadmap to progress the industrial relations matter at hand was proposed at the meeting. There is ongoing contact in follow-up to that meeting. My Department has signaled support for this process.

I am confident that an agreement can be reached through this proposed process and I encourage all parties involved to engage fully, until its conclusion.

The focus of all parties should also be on the people using these critical services and working to minimise any impact on them by reaching agreement. I would therefore hope that while the proposed process is ongoing, industrial action would not proceed.

If, following the proposed process, a request for increased funding for NAS is submitted to my Department by CIB, my officials will consider it carefully and constructively, and engage with colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on budgetary implications.