Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 February 2022
130. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the total budget towards the proposed tax free pandemic recognition payment of €1,000; and the number of eligible frontline workers expected to avail of the payment. [5505/22]
View answerFirstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.
The Government also announced COVID-19 recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000 will not be subject to income tax, USC, or PRSI. The measure will be ring fenced to staff ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments within the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021.
Those public sector frontline healthcare workers eligible for the payment will be directly employed public health sector staff working in clinical settings. A pro-rata arrangement will apply for eligible part time staff / equivalents and supernumerary students who were required to perform training in clinical sites.
The Department of Health will also introduce a measure for making a similar payment to staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices that were affected by Covid-19.
The cost of providing a recognition payment of €1,000 to all eligible public servants working in the health and ambulance services depends on the number of staff who are eligible for the payment. If there were 100,000 WTE deemed eligible, the estimated cost would be approximately €100 million. This figure of 100,000 WTE represents approximately 75% of the HSE/Section 38 workforce and would be the minimum expected to be eligible for this recognition payment.
Similarly, the cost of providing an equivalent recognition payment to relevant staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices affected by Covid-19 depends on the number of staff deemed eligible for the payment. The estimated cost set out above does not include the cost in respect of nursing homes and Defence Forces staff. This measure, including costings, will be progressed by the Department of Health. The potential numbers in scope in the private sector nursing homes and hospices are difficult to confirm, however the most recent estimate available points to approximately 36,000 people employed in the private nursing home sector. It is not possible to determine the breakdown of who may or may not be in scope within these private organisations at this point.
The Department and the HSE are currently engaging in finalising arrangements to give effect to the Government announcement concerning the Recognition Payment. Full particulars, eligibility and terms and conditions that apply to this payment shall be made available shortly. It is important that this measure is applied fairly as intended and I welcome the work that is ongoing to ensure this is so.
