Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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302. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will intervene in a pay dispute between a trade union and an organisation majority funded by her Department (details supplied), to encourage the organisation to implement its pay agreements and engage with the WRC. [35088/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the deputy for his question. The challenges facing organisations that provide services on behalf of Tusla under section 56, including Barnardo’s, is of significant concern. It is important to me that all eligible staff, receive their agreed pay increases, in as timely a manner as possible.

Since 2023, my Department has been actively engaged with the WRC process to find solutions to the pay issues raised by Unions, for the staff of HSE and Tusla funded organisations.

Over the past 18 months, funding increases that could translate to potentially 17% pay increase for staff in eligible organisations have been negotiated, agreed and planned for.

I sought additional funding and that has been secured to meet the cost of these agreements. My Department have made funding available to Tusla to enable the increased funding be channeled to service providers. The providers may only this extra funding to cover increased staff costs associated with the agreements at the WRC. Since December 2023, Tusla have been disbursing that funding.

Section 56 funded organisations are separate legal entities, neither my Department, nor Tusla, are the employer for staff of such organisations. Funding has been made available to Barnardo's in order to apply the agreed pay increases to eligible staff as per the WRC agreement.

My Department continues to engage regularly with Tusla and with the Unions as appropriate, on these important agreements.