Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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1757.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31249/24]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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This government acknowledges the roles provided by essential workers in community and voluntary organisations who deliver health and social care services to many people across the country.

To support the sustainability of services, including the ability of organisations to recruit and retain staff, the government is proactively engaging with a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) process, with unions representing various organisations across these sectors.

The agreement reached last October committed to a significant increase of investment in the sectors, amounting to a phased 8% increase in funding for pay for staff in Section 39, Section 56 and Section 10 voluntary organisations.

The agreement on an 8% increase last October represents a significant step forward in supporting the recruitment and retention of staff in these organisations.

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.

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.

According to the HSE:

1. At 18 July, of 1,163 organisations with whom communication was made, 582 have made submissions.

2. 219 organisations (including the largest organisations in the sector) have exited the process.

3. So far, additional funding equating to a cumulative value of €55.57m, relating to uplifts for 16,631 workers in Section 39 organisations, has been approved.

It is the objective of the HSE to make all due payments without delay so that employees of these service provider organisations can access their entitlements without delay.

On foot of the October agreement, talks resumed at the WRC on 24th June and focused on further increases in pay for these workers. The Government wants to see a meaningful outcome that improves the ability of these vital organisations to actively recruit and retain staff.