Mayo healthcare workers ‘incensed’ by viral exchange between Simon Harris and Section 39 worker, says councillor

CASTLEBAR-based councillor Harry Barrett has said healthcare workers in Mayo have been ‘incensed’ by a viral exchange between Taoiseach Simon Harris and a section 39 worker in Cork. 

Section 39 workers, who work for Mayo-based organisations including Western Care, the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) and Cheshire Homes, are campaigning for pay parity with HSE-employed colleagues in similar jobs. 

During a visit to Kanturk, Taoiseach Harris was confronted by a Section 39 worker who claimed there was ‘no mention in the Budget whatsoever’ of carers. 

@SimonHarrisTD meets and fobs off a real person. In his arrogance he never admits he is wrong, he never apologises and he doesn’t begin to realise that he is not the master, but the servant of the people. pic.twitter.com/C9Tuqzfz3g

— Carvill John (@JohnJCarvill) November 23, 2024

Taoiseach Harris then repeatedly said ‘that’s not true”, before shaking the woman’s hand and walking away.

Cllr Harry Barrett said Section 39 workers in Mayo were ‘incensed’ by the video and said the Taoiseach ‘pay Western care Workers and IWA workers in Mayo their proper rate in the morning.’

Taoiseach addressed criticism of his actions during a video on Instagram Live, saying that he ‘should’ve taken the time to engage’ with the woman in Cork but that he knows the government needs to make pay equality for Section 39 workers “an absolute priority issue”.

We’ve got to look after people with disabilities. We’ve got to empower them. We’ve got to support carers better and those who work in disability services,” said the Fine Gael leader. 

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A post shared by Simon Harris (@simonharristd)

In Budget 2025, the carer’s allowance was increased by €12. They will also be entitled to a €400 ‘cost of living’ lump sum payment. 

In 2023, strike action by Section 39 workers in Mayo was called off at the last minute after an agreement was reached for fund pay increases. Negotiations between Section 39 organisations in receipt of state funding and the government remain ongoing. 

Cllr Barrett repeated his calls for pay equality for Section 39 workers, many of who, he claimed, were on ‘poverty rates’ of pay. 

“These are the workers that drove the lonely roads of Mayo during the Covid pandemic, putting themselves at risk, with no vaccine, because of their dedication while we all sheltered in place,” Cllr Barrett stated. 

“They have nothing to prove, they satisfy all the regulations and do the same work. They have families to feed and kids to get through college like every other HSE employee.

The newly-elected councillor called on voters to ‘ask the next canvasser who comes to your door, especially Government Junior Ministers here in Mayo, to pay the Section 39 workers their proper rate.’. 

“These organizations were set up when the country was in poverty and couldn't look after the disability sector now we have the money and we have these workers still on poverty rates,” Cllr Barrett told The Mayo News.