Sinn Féin TD for Waterford and party spokesperson on Community Development, Rural Affairs and the Gaeltacht, Conor D. McGuinness, has said the Government’s continued failure to deliver pay parity for workers in the community and voluntary sector is “a political decision to underpay essential public service workers.”
Speaking in the Dáil on International Workers’ Day earlier this month Deputy McGuinness said:
“Today we honour the contribution of working people across Ireland. But for thousands of workers in the community and voluntary sector—those delivering disability supports, addiction services, domestic violence shelters, and community-based care—there is little to celebrate.
“These are essential public services, funded by the State, and delivered on the ground by highly skilled workers. Yet these same workers are paid significantly less than their public sector colleagues, denied access to pensions, and left in precarious conditions. It is a scandal—and it is deliberate.”
Deputy McGuinness said that workers in Section 39, Section 56 and Section 10 agencies were being “systematically underpaid for doing the same work as HSE or Tusla staff,” and that their employer organisations were being set up to fail.
“This is not just about pay inequality—it’s about a broken funding model. Organisations are expected to run critical services on short-term grants with no multi-annual certainty. They can’t plan, they can’t invest, and they can’t offer security to their staff. This is driving burnout, high turnover, and real harm to vulnerable service users.
“The message from trade unions—SIPTU, Fórsa, Unite and ICTU—is crystal clear: public money must mean public pay. Equal pay for equal work. And Sinn Féin fully supports that demand.”
Deputy McGuinness also criticised the Government’s approach to WRC negotiations, saying:
“The WRC process has been dragged out for more than a year. Initial proposals didn’t come close to delivering parity. Now, under pressure, talks have resumed—but confidence is low. Workers are being forced to ballot for industrial action just to be heard. That is not sustainable. The Government must stop stalling and deliver a real, fair resolution.”
“Sinn Féin is calling for a clear roadmap to full pay parity, secure multi-annual funding for employer organisations, and collective bargaining rights for all workers in the sector. These are essential services. If you value them, you must value the people who deliver them.”
He concluded:
“This Government talks about social inclusion and community empowerment. But that means nothing while it continues to exploit the very workers keeping our care and community infrastructure standing. On this Workers’ Day, Sinn Féin stands with those workers—and we will keep fighting for fairness, dignity, and equal pay.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 