HSE urged to increase grant to St Joseph’s

THE HSE has been urged to intervene to ensure that no cuts are made to services at the St Joseph’s Foundation in Charleville and pay cuts to its staff are reversed.

In his address at the Foundation’s recent AGM chairman Eamon McCarthy said the “very substantial” financial deficit recorded in 2017 was not sustainable and hinted that it could impact on the services they offer in the future.

Mr McCarthy outlined how additional costs, including a 265 per cent hike in insurance costs, had conspired to create the deficit saying that difficult decisions may have to be made to reduce it.

Last year Mr McCarthy said the announcement of the restoration of pay for Section 38 service providers staff and not for Section 39 staff (including SJF) was also likely to become a major bone of contention in 2017.

Under existing regulation, the health service is designated Section 38, which allows it access to the State Claims Agency. However, the voluntary sector is designated section 39 and as a result is denied access to the claims agency.

This has led to a call by Cork North West TD Michael Moynihan (FF) for the HSE to increase the block grant to St Joesph’s, allowing it to maintain services and reverse pay cuts.

Speaking after raising the issue with An Taoiseach during a Dáil debate, Deputy Moynihan said that in recent years the HSE had cuts blocks grants to section 39 bodies.

He said they were then directed to cut staff pay in line with other HSE employees and public servants as per FEMPI legislation and the Haddington Road agreement.

Deputy Moynihan went on to say that pay restoration was “quite rightly” being requested by staff, but that this can not be done without affecting services until the block grant was increased.

“These employees deserve to have their pay increased in recognition of their work and dedication. But, unless Ministers Harris and Donohoe release the additional funding needed, the management of section 39 organisations such as St Joseph’s will be forced to choose between maintaining services and restoring pay.”

Deputy Moynihan said that health and disability professionals were justifiably annoyed at seeing colleagues in other organisations having their pay restored.

“St Joseph’s is a fantastic local organisation. Its employees are diligent, compassionate, hard-working and loyal. It’s time their hard work was reflected by increasing the block grants to Section 39 organisations to allow them restore their employees pay,” he concluded.