Question to the Minister for Health (Dr. Leo Varadkar, TD)
To ask the Minister for Health if he will instruct the Health Service Executive to engage with representatives of home helps, with a view to improving conditions of employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. – Jerry Buttimer
For WRITTEN ANSWER on 28, April, 2015.
REPLY
In September 2013 the Labour Court issued a binding recommendation to the HSE, SIPTU and IMPACT stipulating that Home Helps receive a guaranteed minimum number of working hours per week. The recommendation provided for Home Helps being guaranteed 80% of the hours they worked in the period between 1 October 2011 and 31 March 2012 per week in new contracts. Following this engagement a new contract was agreed and implemented.
I have asked the HSE to reply directly to the Deputy on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.