Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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2523. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated total cost of aligning section 39 provider pay scales with pay scales in the statutory disability services sector. [44327/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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2524. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the estimated total cost of aligning section 39 pay scales with pay scales in the statutory health sector. [44328/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2523 and 2524 together.

The agreement between Government Departments and unions, recognises that staff in section 39 organisations should be fairly paid for the vital work they do.

The Pay agreement reached in March of this year, included a 9.25% pay increase for up to 40,000 workers, equivalent to the Public Sector Pay agreement 2024-2026. In a landmark step by this Government, the proposed agreement also includes an automatic link to future public sector pay agreements for these workers, to match all future pay increases.

The agreement was met with overwhelming support, being approved by 87 per cent of SIPTU members and 86 per cent of Fórsa members.

The parity of treatment provided for in this Agreement is an important step forward for workers. In funding terms, the deal amounts to an estimated increase of €70m per annum for these community and voluntary organisations delivering specialist disability services and supports.

The offer is backdated to start from October 2024 with implementation over a two-year period to October 2026, by which point a successor to the Public Sector Agreement 2024-2026 is anticipated.

Taken with the October 2023 Agreement of an 8% increase, this amounts to a 17.25% pay funding increase over a 3½ year period.

As part of the agreement comprehensive data gathering exercise will be undertaken on the pay and funding arrangements in the sector, to progress pay issues that affect the delivery of services and the long-term viability of organisations. The parties agreed that this exercise is crucial in order to create a shared understanding of the sector, particularly in regard to low pay.