The Department of Health provides in the region of €4.6m in funding annually to approximately 61 projects under the remit of drug task forces under the Drugs Initiative budget. This level of funding was provided in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Additional core funding of €320,000 was allocated in 2024 in the context of the October 2023 Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement. This funding will also be provided in 2026.
The HSE provides a further €22m for the provision of community-based drug services in task force areas.
The Department of Health carried out an internal review of employee pay in the community drug and alcohol services it funds in 2024. The review was undertaken in the context of the October 2023, Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement on pay for workers in Section 39 organisations.
Arising from the review, and informed by the WRC agreement, the Department approved a significant increase in investment grants for community drug and alcohol projects.
This amounts to an 8% increase in employee pay, phased as:
• 3% from 1 April 2023.
• Additional 2% from 1 Nov 2023.
• And a further 3% from 1 March 2024.
The WRC agreement referenced by the Deputy concluded on 10 March 2025 and provides funding for a 9.25% pay increase for organisations funded under Sections 39, 56, 10 and 40, in line with the Public Service Agreement 2024–2026. The agreement represents a significant step in narrowing pay gaps with comparable HSE roles.
These organisations are independent employers, and their pay and conditions are a matter for each employer, provided they comply with employment law. This agreement applies only to grant-funded organisations and does not extend to tendered service providers. Differences between organisations may therefore reflect differing funding arrangements. The Minister has no operational role in relation to staffing or pay decisions within these independent organisations.
The body referenced by the Deputy is funded by the Department of Health and is not formally covered by the 2025 WRC agreement. My Department intends to undertake a review to assess the costs of aligning the WRC increases to community drug and alcohol projects it directly funds including the body referenced by the Deputy.
In addition, the HSE, with ICTU and relevant Departments and agencies, is undertaking a detailed data-gathering exercise on low pay in the sector, which will inform future policy and funding considerations.
