Cork carer 'hopeful' but 'not confident' of changes after exchange with Simon Harris

Mr Harris phoned Charlotte Fallon to apologise for not giving her the time she 'deserved' to discuss her concerns as he was canvassing in Kanturk last Friday

A still from the video clip of Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris meeting disability worker Charlotte Fallon in Kanturk, Co Cork, on Friday night. Picture: RTÉ News

Disability care worker Charlotte Fallon, whose exchange with Taoiseach Simon Harris went viral over the weekend after she told him carers were being ignored, has said she is “hopeful” but “not confident” real changes will be made in the sector.

Mr Harris phoned Ms Fallon to apologise for not giving her the time she “deserved” to discuss her concerns as he was canvassing in Kanturk, Co Cork, last Friday.

In an interview with Cork Today on C103FM, Ms Fallon said it was beyond time to rectify the 18% pay difference between disability workers and those employed within the HSE.

She is pleased her conversation with Mr Harris has shone a light on the issues facing her and others in her sector.

“Yes hopefully [something good will come of this]. Section 39 workers have been ignored long enough. We were on the same pay scale as HSE and Section 38. The crash happened and we all took a cut. We fought for it. We went on dispute for it.

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"We had an agreement with the WRC that they got reneged. It is not just for the money. We are being completely ignored for the care that we give. We are hiring people and training people and then they are moving to different sectors. More needs to be done.

"They have put back conversations with our WRC and with Siptu time after time. We are ignored. 

There was a letter sent personally to Simon Harris and it was ignored.

Ms Fallon, who works with St Joseph’s voluntary charity for people with disabilities, said she could not understand why people were "congratulating" the Taoiseach as he walked around the supermarket canvassing.

“I was seeing people shaking his hand and all that and I said to one of the workers ‘I can't believe everybody is congratulating him and things’ and he was like ‘he [Mr Harris] is grand — he is one of the alright ones.’ That kind of put fuel to the fire a bit. 

"He walked down and was in by the corner and said hello. I don’t know — something just overtook me and I said ‘sorry can I ask you a question’. It came out of me. I am very passionate. I love my job. It is something that is very close to my heart and something that needs to be said. It is something that needs to be done. There is not enough being done for people.

"I am so proud that it is getting out there now and people are voicing more concern. They are speaking up and they are being heard. Because people have been shut off and phones have been hung up on them.” 

Ms Fallon indicated all she wanted was a comprehensive answer when she impulsively asked Mr Harris a question on the campaign trail.

“I was surprised at his reaction towards me. After the phone call with him [Mr Harris], I realised it was a subject that was very close to his heart too and he said he gets very passionate about it himself.

"It overtook him. Maybe I did surprise him. I hope I didn’t come across as being too much.

"I just wanted answers for people. He was the one who suggested that [visiting her workplace]. The only thing I asked of him was ‘no media’ — none of these cameras anything for a picture moment. No. Our lads need to be protected.

"I want him to see what we do. The services we provide. The facilities we provide. How much more needs to be done. And meet us on a one-to-one basis. Go around to a few of the different hubs. Meet all the hardworking staff that I work with.” 

Ms Fallon added the disability sector had been ignored by the Government for far too long.

“We are losing genuine good hardworking staff because the money isn’t there. The money that we were promised. I am hearing so many stories.

"I am hopeful [that it won’t be empty promises]. But I am not confident. More and more people are standing up and speaking out. I know they have spoken out before but they have been ignored.

"The sector needs more SNAs, it needs better working conditions, it needs better pay for carers and it needs better facilities and more schooling for children.”

 

Election in focus: Disability