Expenses bungle will see home helps go without this Christmas

Health Service Executive (HSE) officials have been accused of wrecking Christmas for many of its home help workers in Meath and their families. Angry home helps protested outside the HSE offices at Beechmount Shopping Centre in Navan last Friday at the non-payment of travel expenses incurred over the past year. The workers are furious at a decision by the HSE to deduct an overpayment made to home helps in one lump sum, just before Christmas. "Many of the women were in tears. They have been expecting their expenses payments for this year for Christmas," said SIPTU shop steward, Carmel Evans. "We haven't received payment of travel expenses since last June and some haven't received them since November 2010." She added: "The HSE at first told us they were short-staffed, then they told us they had lost travel sheets and then we were told we would be paid in November, but now they have told us that we were overpaid in 2010 and 2009 and they were deducting the overpayment from what was due this year," she added. "Even if it is the case that we were overpaid, the normal procedure would be to meet with us and work out a payment plan, not take it all away in one lump sum," she said. "These women went out in their own cars last November and December in terrible conditions to get to the people they were caring for. And this is the way they are treated," she said. The women involved were expecting payments of between €500 and €1,500. Susan Nolan from Duleek, a mother of two children, said she doesn't know how she will cope with Christmas as a result. "I was told my travel expenses would be paid by the end of November - there was no word of any deduction - and I did a bit of Christmas shopping, overdrawing on my bank account. "Now when I get my wages, most of it will be gone because I'm not getting my expenses. I'll have no money at the end of this week whatsoever. We are facing a very bleak Christmas. The children won't get the presents on their lists," she said. Ms Nolan said that because she is finding finances so tight, she cannot put petrol in her car and will have to walk to see her clients, which means that some who are lying on soiled sheets when she gets to them in the mornings will be waiting even longer for her to arrive. The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Anton McCabe, was critical of the HSE's action, pointing out that it was the health authorities' error, "They could have taken the money back at so much a week, instead of taking it all before Christmas. They are not engaging with the unions or the carers, This is now the way to bring any conflict to resolution," he said, Cllr Joe Reilly described the HSE's decision as deplorable. "To inform people that they were not going to pay on expenses already incurred by the home care workers just prior to Christmas is absolutely unaccptable," he remarked. "I call on the HSE to sit down with the workers' representatives immediately and agree an acceptable solution." He said the HSE must provide evidence that care workers have been overpaid on expenses and, in the event of such cases, that a proper repayment plan be put in place. A spokesperson for the HSE said that the travel claims of home help staff in Meath had recently been audited to ensure compliance with the recommendations of the Part Time Home Help Agreement. "Staff who were underpaid had their claims adjusted earlier this year and were reimbursed outstanding amounts. Staff who were overpaid had their claims adjusted this month with overpayments being set against current outstanding travel claims. "In April 2011, the Home Support Office advised home support workers that all claims would be reviewed and adjusted at year-end to ensure they are paid appropriately. Staff were notified individually last week of the adjustments in each particular case," the spokesperson added.