Longford TD calls for 'pay parity' agreement

New Longford Fine Gael TD Micheál Carrigy has highlighted the need for 'pay parity' in support of Section 39 workers and insisted it needs to be in the programme for government.

The Ballinalee native raised the issue and his desire to ensure there is pay equity in respect of community and voluntary sector organisations at a recent Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting.

Deputy Carrigy stated he is eager to play his part in resolving the ongoing pay dispute at St Christopher's in Longford.

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"I would be hoping that it will become part of a programme for government agreement," he said. "Should we go into government an agreement on that would form part of the programme for government on pay parity."

Deputy Carrigy stated it was in Fine Gael's manifesto and it is a priority for him and something he has "pushed" ahead of the party agreeing to enter government negotiations or discussions.

"It's important and it's very pertinent and it needs to form part of it (programme for government)," he added.

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Over 130 Fórsa union members began work-to-rule action on November 18 over the non-payment of increments promised under a previous 2021 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) pay agreement.

New CEO Declan Kenny who commenced his new role on November 21 replaced interim CEO Marian Keigher and insisted they remained fully committed to dialogue and finding a solution.

Deputy Carrigy stated that government negotiations had only recently started but the ongoing dispute at St Christopher's needs to be addressed.

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"There is fantastic care provided by the staff but we can't have a situation where different staff are on different pay levels doing the same job and we need to just tackle it as a State and ensure we bring everybody up to the same pay levels within all the Section 39 organisations," he added.

Deputy Carrigy stated there is a new CEO Mr Kenny and ongoing discussions and he is very hopeful.

"We want to get back to a situation where all of the staff are back working full-time and ultimately there is a responsibility on the new government to ensure that we put procedures in place during the term of the next government that will have pay parity within those organisations and we need to set that up and put that in writing and put that into the programme for the staff that are working in St Christopher's and other organisations," he said. "I want to work with the new CEO and the staff to get a brighter future."

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Deputy Carrigy visited the local intellectual disabilities provider late last week and St Christopher's uploaded a post and photo to their Facebook page.

It read, "Newly elected TD Micheál Carrigy visited St Christopher's and has said that supporting St Christopher's service users and staff is a key priority for him. We are glad to hear that and look forward to working closely with him. The boys in The Men's Shed presented Micheál with a beautiful a Christmas Crib."