Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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201. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure that section 39 workers have pay-parity with directly employed HSE staff, given that they do very similar work and are 97% funded by the HSE, but are paid over 10% less, making it very difficult for them to recruit staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40397/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Section 39 organisations are not public bodies, and the terms and conditions of employment for staff in these organisations are ultimately between the employer and the employee.

Although we are not the employers, the Departments are aware that staff employed across the hundreds of HSE funded organisations have been employed using a multiplicity of terms and conditions, including different rates of remuneration and are dependent on Government for funding.

An agreement to increase funding for pay was reached in the WRC in October 2023. The application process is currently being managed by the HSE and KOSI. Further negotiations regarding pay in S39 organisations are currently ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment any further on the matter at this time.