Enable Ireland is very disappointed with the outcome of the WRC talks between the Government and trade unions representing Section 39 staff, including staff in Enable Ireland.

Section 39 staff can be paid up to 17% less for the equivalent work in the HSE[1] or Section 38 organisations. In this context, the 5% pay offer made earlier this week falls far short of what is required to achieve equal pay for Section 39 staff who are working alongside HSE and S38 colleagues delivering the same services.

All services in Enable Ireland for both children and adults continue to be impacted by the lack of pay parity for staff, this includes Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNT’s), specialist clinical services, adult day services, preschools, overnight respite services for children and adults, residential and independent living services, and a range of family support services.

The continuing lack of pay parity for Enable Ireland staff impacts -

• Staff recruitment - The lack of pay parity for staff in Section 39 agencies means there is not an equal playing field in the recruitment crisis in disability services and therefore, Enable Ireland, as a Section 39 organisation, is at a severe disadvantage. 
• Staff retention - There is no salary incentive for staff to continue working in Section 39 organisations when they can get paid more by the HSE or Section 38 organisation for doing exactly the same job.
• High turnover of staff – We are experiencing a high turnover of staff in all areas and in exit interviews, staff have cited pay parity as one of their key reasons for leaving.
• All of this has a negative impact on our ability to deliver the quality and quantity of services that we are contracted to provide to over 13,000 children, adults and their families.

We need an immediate intervention and decision by Government to address pay parity to ensure an equal playing field in the recruitment crisis wherein all Section 39 agencies and, particularly Enable Ireland as a lead agency for 20 Children’s Disability Network Teams, (the largest Lead agency in the voluntary sector for CDNT’s) are at a severe disadvantage. We cannot compete with Section 38 agencies and HSE salary scales offered for doing exactly the same work and within the same teams. In the absence of pay parity, a solution to the current recruitment difficulties will not be found thus impacting the delivery of much needed services for children and their families.

This issue will continue to impact the long-term sustainability of Enable Ireland’s services. The pay parity gap as of 1st Aug 2023 in Enable Ireland is costed at €3.6 million per annum. That funding is not available. The only solution here is for Government to provide funding for full pay restoration for Section 39 organisations like Enable Ireland, who are delivering the same services as the HSE and Section 38 agencies and re-instate alignment with HSE pay scales.

                                                   -ENDS -

[1] Some examples of pay differential between some Section 39 staff and HSE/S. 38 colleagues*:

• Staff nurse earns 11% less;
• Occupational Therapist earns 10.8% less;
• Occupational Therapy Assistant earns 14.56% less;
• Health Care Assistant / Personal Assistant earns 6.5% less; and
• Clerical Officer Grade working in an Administrative role earns 17.25% less.

*All comparisons are based on HSE Consolidated Pay Scale (1 March 2023). A further increase to the HSE Consolidated Pay Scale is due in October 2023 which will make the percentage differential even greater. Source: National Disability Services Association (NDSA) Pre-Budget Submission July 2023