Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 January 2023
519. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that retained firefighters in Balbriggan and Skerries have been excluded from the pandemic bonus payment; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that they attended to Covid and medical calls during the pandemic (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63835/22]
View answerOn 19 January 2022, the Government announced a Covid-19 recognition payment for frontline healthcare workers to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. This once-off payment is ring fenced to staff who were ordinarily onsite in Covid-19-exposed healthcare environments within the period from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2021. It applies to eligible staff in the public health service and six other specific cohorts, one of which is staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver paramedic services on behalf of the Health Service Executive. Accordingly, the recognition payment is payable only to those employees of Dublin Fire Brigade who delivered such services in the period in question.
