Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
424. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the considerations her Department is currently making as regards the recognition of long-Covid as an occupational illness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42774/23]
View answer429. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection when she will make a decision on designating long-Covid as an occupational illness for frontline workers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42828/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 429 together.
My Department is aware of the recommendation of the European Commission made in 2022 regarding the prescription of Covid-19 as an occupational illness. However, the decision on whether or not to recognise an illness as an occupational illness is a Member State competence. It should be noted that recognition confers very different entitlements in different countries.
It is important to state that the European Commission has not made a recommendation about recognising long-COVID as an occupational disease and most member states have not recognised long-COVID. The UK Department of Work and Pensions presented a report to the UK parliament in November 2022 which concluded that long-COVID should not be considered an occupational disease due to the lack of evidence and the evolving nature of the illness.
As this matter of recognising Covid-19 as an occupational disease has implications beyond my department, I am in consultation with other relevant departments and Ministers, and the responses received are under consideration.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
