Home Help Workers

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For Written Answer on : 21/05/2019
Question Number(s): 419,331 Question Reference(s): 21828/19, 21829/19
Department: Health
Asked by: Darragh O'Brien T.D.
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QUESTION


* To ask the Minister for Health when the gratuity payment due to certain home help workers will be made in lieu of pension payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Darragh O'Brien T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 21 May, 2019.

* To ask the Minister for Health the reason her Department has not paid the gratuity due to certain home help workers in lieu of pension payments in line with recommendations of the Labour Court to date.
- Darragh O'Brien T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 21 May, 2019.
REPLY



The Deputy is referring to Home Help workers who are employed by voluntary providers of home help services which are funded under section 39 of the Health Act 2004.

As these home help workers are not employed by the HSE, the HSE and the Department have no role in determining the salaries or other terms and conditions applying to these staff including any pension arrangements.
A joint working group was established, as agreed as part of the 2015 Lansdowne Road talks, to consider a number of issues in relation to section 39 organisations.  Unfortunately it was not possible to reach an agreement between the parties on the issue of gratuity payments.