Service users to lose out as Brothers of Charity Limerick look for €2m in cuts
2003 Bawnmore Limerick Brothers of Charity
“VASTLY reduced” funding from government and a Labour Court ruling that staff should be awarded long-outstanding wage increases mean the Brothers of Charity Services in Limerick are looking for €2 million in savings this year.
And a confidential management document seen by the Limerick Leader makes clear that the Brothers’ intellectually disabled service users are about to suffer.
“Cost saving initiatives will result in a reduction in the quality of services provided to people with an intellectual disability,” the document states before going on to say every effort was being made to minimise the impact.
Management declined to comment on the proposals as they are a delicate stage in consultations with hundreds of Limerick families while negotiations with trade unions representing around 500 staff have not concluded.
It is understood that the closure of some community houses and moving the disabled and staff elsewhere; the relocation of some day services away from Bawnmore; as well as the withdrawal of night cover from some residential units are among the more contentious cutbacks.
But no cuts in respite services or no redundancies are currently being considered, the Limerick Leader has learned.
There is a cut proposed to the transport budget but it is understood this would not mean the charity would discontinue running buses for day services - a cost-cutting measure which has caused consternation for families at the Daughters of Charity Lisnagry.
Savings may instead come from transporting service users within the Bawnmore complex or there may be fewer outings, according to staff sources.
Financial pressure on the management has come from two directions. The HSE has reduced its allocation by almost €1 million, the latest in a succession of cuts. And the Labour Court has also ruled that staff, who qualify under the Croke Park Agreement, be paid increments withheld since 2009. This will cost another €837,000 in 2012.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
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marc007
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 11:49 AM2 pay cuts + 1 pay rise + job gauranteed by croke park = not a bad deal.
phardy
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:02 AMBrothers of Charity staff have already had two pay cuts in line with the public sector. They are already doing more with less. It is unfair to blame them for service cuts.
marc007
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:20 AMyou can wrap it up whichever way you like. the fact is that the staff will get an increase in their wage, while services for the kids out there are to be cut. I'm sure the staff are great, and I dont begrudge them getting a fair wage but at the end of the day it seems that all cuts to the budget have to come from cuts to services, cutting jobs or wages is not an option it seems. if this same scenario presented where I work, you can be sure i would have to swallow a pay cut before our customers saw any degradation of service, and if that didnt work I'd be out of a job. simple as that Its a pity that it has come to this, the carer's deserve whatever they get, they are great people. This country is broken.
phardy
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 07:34 PMBrothers of Charity staff are not getting a 'pay rise'. What they are getting, belatedly, is pay to which they are entitled to under their contract and which had been withheld.
marc007
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:45 PMso the staff get a pay rise while services get slashed. nice. what a country we are left with..
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