Thousands of workers providing frontline disability, older people’s and community services have been left behind on pay for years, Clare TD Joe Cooney has said.
The Fine Gael Deputy raised the issue in the Dáil today with Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley, asking her to confirm that Section 39 workers will automatically receive future public sector pay increases.
“Section 39 workers have been left behind,” Deputy Cooney said. “After the crash, their pay was cut in line with the public service but it was never restored in the same way.
“It has taken more than a decade, including Labour Court intervention and threatened strike action, to begin to close that gap. We are still not there.”
A pay funding agreement reached in March 2025 provided for a 9.25 per cent increase for workers in community and voluntary health and social care organisations, following an 8 per cent increase agreed in 2023.
Minister Foley confirmed that the 2025 agreement also provides for automatic linkage to general round increases in future public sector pay agreements.
“In a landmark step by the Government the arrangements also include automatic linkage for these workers to general round increases in any future public sector pay agreement”, she said.
“The arrangements also include automatic linkage for these workers to general round increases in any future public sector pay agreement.”
The Minister said the agreement represented “a significant investment in the sector” and provided certainty for workers and their employers.
Deputy Cooney said the commitment to automatic pay linkage was welcome but warned that it must be backed by adequate funding for the organisations employing the workers.
“Pay parity cannot simply be announced and then leave the organisations delivering these services to find the money themselves,” he said.
“The funding has to cover the full cost of the increase, including pension and PRSI contributions.
“Many of these organisations operate on very tight budgets, with smaller providers having little or no reserves to absorb additional costs. If the funding is not there, the pressure ultimately falls on services and the people who depend on them.”
Minister Foley said a comprehensive data-gathering exercise was being conducted on pay and funding arrangements in the sector.
“This exercise is crucial in order to create a shared understanding of the sector,” she said.
Deputy Cooney said the issue should be addressed as part of the current Budget discussions.
“These workers have waited long enough to be treated fairly on pay,” he said.
“We now have a commitment to automatic linkage. What is needed is for Government to make sure that the funding follows the commitment and that Section 39 organisations can pay their staff properly without putting essential services at risk.”