A coalition of charities and voluntary organisations, whose staff were awarded an 8% pay increase by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in October, say they are extremely disappointed that the Government has not yet clarified the mechanism of how funds will be provided to allow payment of the award.
The groups said that immediate clarification is needed on when the money will be provided by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The pay agreement was reached on 17 October, hours before strike action was due to commence involving 5,000 workers across 17 organisations including the Irish Wheelchair Association and Enable Ireland.
The deal will benefit workers in Section 39, 56 and 10 organisations.
These are privately run organisations and charities that are contracted by the Government to provide services to the State in the areas of health, children's services and homeless services.
The agreement included an offer from the Government of an 8% increase in funding for wages.
Last month, workers represented by Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU voted to accept the deal.
The coalition of organisations, which includes The Wheel, Disability Federation of Ireland, Dublin Homeless Network, National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers and Simon Communities of Ireland, said funding delays are further impacting the sustainability of services to tens of thousands of vulnerable families in areas such as physical and intellectual disability, care of children and older people, family services, addiction and homelessness.
"The WRC agreement was meant to address a crisis of retention and recruitment in the sector, where staff receive between 10-20% less pay than their counterparts employed by HSE," the coalition said in a statement.
"If the WRC decision is not implemented immediately, a new public sector pay deal likely before the end of December will worsen pay disparity and make recruitment of medical, care and other staff virtually impossible," the coalition added.
As part of the pay agreement, a method was to be established to restore the link between workers in the community and voluntary sector with equivalent pay grades in the HSE.
There was due to be reengagement between the parties in December but the coalition said that process has also been delayed.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said an overall amount has been secured by the Minister for Children through a 2023 supplementary estimate to meet the level of additional funding required for this year.
"Additional funding has been provided for in the Departments' votes to meet the costs aligned to 2024 increases," a spokesperson said.
"Appropriate administrative arrangements are currently being developed by the HSE and Tusla to ensure this additional funding for pay is made available to section 39 and section 56 organisations to meet the requirements of the WRC agreement."
The spokesperson said: "These arrangements will enable the HSE and Tusla to engage with employer bodies on the drawdown of funds."
The department said the intention is for the HSE and Tusla to ensure the increased funding is made available as efficiently as possible to the employer organisations, while also providing for appropriate accountability and controls to be put in place.
"It is acknowledged that it may take some time for the funding increases to be allocated to eligible organisations due to the need to meet standard financial governance and accounting requirements," the department said.
"The departments and agencies met with unions last week under the auspicious of the WRC to update on progress and next steps," the spokesperson added.
