Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1181. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on any upcoming engagements between a union (details supplied) and his Department; if he will commit to pay parity for section 39 workers; if he will honour commitments made in October 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44777/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you for your correspondence to the Minister of Health.

Organisations funded through section 39 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 not the employers, the Department of Health and Department of Children 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 and payments are progressing.

Subsequent negotiations regarding the funding of a further pay increase in organisations funded through section 39 arrangements are currently ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment any further on the matter at this time.