James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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675. To ask the Minister for Health the reason section 39 workers in some institutions (details supplied) were advised they lie outside the scope of the agreement and therefore not afforded the improved work and pay conditions that many of their section 39 colleagues have had confirmed; the steps she will take to rectify this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13291/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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An unprecedented agreement was reached at the WRC on 10th March to fund Health and Social Care, and Homeless sector employers give a 9.25% pay increase to their workers – an increase equivalent to the current Public Sector Agreement 2024-2026. The agreement also includes an automatic link to match any future pay increases that may arise in future public sector pay agreements.

The agreement recognises that staff in these sectors should be fairly paid and appropriately recognised for the vital work they do.

This agreement applies to the pay of workers in organisations grant funded under Section 39 (Health Act 2004), Section 56 (Child and Family Agency Act 2013), Section 10 (Housing Act 1988) and Section 40 (Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Act 2023).

ICTU unions will now ballot their members with a view to formalising the deal under the auspices of the WRC. The pay terms are backdated to start from October 2024 with implementation to take place over a two-year period to the end of 2026:

• 2.25% on 01 Oct 2024
• 1.0 % on 01 April 2025
• 2.0% on 01 Nov 2025
• 2.0 % on 01 April 2026
• 2.0% on 01 Oct 2026