"Government's Exclusion of Private Nursing Home Staff from Pay Increase Reprehensible"

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD has strongly criticised the government's recent decision to exclude staff at private nursing homes from the agreed 9.25% pay increase allocated to Section 39 health workers. This exclusion affects hundreds of care workers who provide essential services to some of the most vulnerable members of society.

"Just this week I welcomed the 9.25% increase for section 39 workers wholeheartedly," Collins stated. "But this latest revelation shows the extent the government will go to avoid paying people what they rightfully deserve. It is a disgraceful decision and it needs to be addressed urgently. These people take care of the most vulnerable in our society, and to be left out of this increase is a shocking indictment of a government that is once again refusing to recognise the valuable contribution these workers make to provide care for our older generation."

The agreement, reached earlier this week, includes a 9.25% pay increase over two years for up to 40,000 workers in the community and voluntary sector, backdated to October 2024. However, staff at private nursing homes have been excluded from this deal, a move that has been met with widespread criticism.

Collins expressed his frustration over this exclusion, stating, "I spoke this week about the need to ensure the deal agreed was delivered. I was quietly optimistic about the progress made, but I am no longer confident that the government will do what it says it will do. It damages trust and damages people's confidence that they will act in the best interests of these invaluable frontline staff."

He further emphasised his commitment to addressing this issue, declaring, "I will be raising the issue with the Minister for Health at the first opportunity."

The exclusion of private nursing home staff from the pay increase has raised concerns about equity and recognition within the healthcare sector. Collins and Independent Ireland are calling on the government to reconsider this decision and extend the pay increase to all care workers, acknowledging their essential role in supporting Ireland's ageing population.