Section 39 organisations ‘ignored while top earners get huge pay bump’

TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has criticised the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly for abandoning Section 39 workers whose funding is lower now than it was in 2009 while civil servants in the top jobs earning over €150,000 a year can expect a 10-15% pay increase. 
 
Teachta Crowe said: “Section 39 agencies provide healthcare, elderly, youth, substance abuse, suicide prevention, social inclusion, education, community development and many other services in communities across the State. “These agencies and their workers provide invaluable services in our communities that the HSE simply do not. By refusing to facilitate a wage increase for them for over ten years, the Government is driving people out of Section 39 bodies and they are being lost to the private sector. Many are simply never replaced and gaps in service provision start appearing throughout areas.
 
“The Minister tries to wriggle out of any responsibility by saying that since Section 39 workers are not in the Public Service Pay Agreements, there is nothing he can do. I believe this is a disingenuous reply. It was Governments who cut their funding and this Government can make it right. They choose not to. “Organisations like the Tallaght Drugs and Alcohol Task Force are receiving less money now than they did in 2009. If their grants are diminished, so is their ability to pay staff.
 
“Meanwhile, civil servants in the top jobs earning over €150,000 a year can expect a 10-15% pay increase next week. The Government’s priorities are clear to see. “By only ever looking out for the better off in society, they are allowing our community services to be stripped away from us and are leaving the most vulnerable to suffer.”