Gratuity payment due to certain home help workers will be made in lieu of pension payments

​QUESTION NO:  1000

DÁIL QUESTION addressed to the Minister for Health (Simon Harris T.D.)
by Deputy Darragh O'Brien
for WRITTEN ANSWER on 26/07/2017  

 
 *  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.

  
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. 
I advised the Deputy previously that 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. 

The Deputy is also aware that 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.