Youth Work Supports
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-21
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Natasha Newsome Drennan (SF), Carlow-Kilkenny

There is a double standard in the area of youth work that cannot be ignored. In Dublin, staff are on a far better wage agreement. Youth workers outside Dublin are being left behind despite doing the same job, often in more isolated areas and for significantly less pay. Many are trained up by the local services only to leave for other agencies because of better pay standards. How can the Minister stand over this double standard and treatment? If someone is doing the work, they should be treated and paid equally, regardless of where they are based. Instead, many outside of Dublin receive increments only once every three years if they are lucky. Will the Minister commit to ending this geographic double standard?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-21