Care crisis: 'Staff have had to bag pack for their own salaries or to pay the heating bill'

Staff of voluntary and community groups are paid much less than HSE and Tusla workers — despite delivering the same care services for the State, writes Mick Clifford

Ciara Kane, CEO of the Northside Family Resource Centre in Limerick: 'Every time I try to recruit for what we’re all agreed is an essential service, Tusla or the HSE can outstrip me with salaries.' Picture: Brian Arthur

Ciara Kane gets upset when her staff don’t photocopy on both sides of the page. It’s a small thing but she has to literally watch the pennies like a hawk. 

She is the CEO of the Northside Family Resource Centre in Limerick City. Running a major service that improves the lives of hundreds of families in the socially disadvantaged area of Ballynanty is a job in itself, but ensuring that the money never runs out takes up an inordinate amount of her time.