We all appreciate the immense work done by the staff in the community and voluntary sector in caring for so many across society as they support people in homelessness and addiction, and in staffing refuges and rape crisis centres. Yet, such workers are paid much less than equivalent staff employed directly by the State, despite many of them propping up many State services. In October last year, we in the Labour Party brought forward a motion which would have delivered pay parity for these vulnerable workers in the community and voluntary sector. We have seen no action from the Government since then, despite the fact the Government waved that motion through. The national executive of the Fórsa trade union is now backing a proposal for strike action in a number of community and voluntary sector agencies. If it goes ahead, that strike action will affect many staff and, crucially, the many people for whom those staff are caring and providing invaluable supports. The last thing any of these workers want is to take to the picket line. Will the Government face up to its responsibility and give workers in the community and voluntary sector the pay rise they deserve?

We need to pay people properly, but as I said a moment ago, we need the income stream to support that. There is a lot of understanding and sympathy within the Government for the case the Deputy is making because workers in section 39 organisations are doing very important caring and other valuable work for the State. They are not directly employed by the State, but that should not absolve us or the State from looking to address disparities where they exist. It is a complicated issue. Trade unions and others are involved in the resolution. I understand the Department of Health has the key role in terms of working with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to try to resolve what in my mind is an anomaly that needs to be resolved, in that certain categories of workers are not being treated the same as those doing similar work. The issue will not be easily or immediately resolved but I would like to see the issue resolved.