Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 November 2023
249. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health how Traveller Primary Health Care Workers employed by Section 39 agencies through the HSE can be awarded the special pandemic recognition payment given their frontline status during the pandemic and their work carried out in clinical settings for the HSE such as mobile vaccination and testing clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50451/23]
View answerFirstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their diligent efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
Last year the Government announced a once-off, ex-gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic.
Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following significant consideration and consultation. I can confirm that in order to receive the recognition payment, staff must have:
• Been in COVID vaccination cohorts 1 or 2, and
• Worked ordinarily onsite in a COVID-19 exposed healthcare environment, and
• Worked for at least 4 weeks in the 1/3/2020 – 30/6/2021 period, and
• Worked in a HSE/Section 38 organisation, or one of the following:
1. Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary,Section 39 etc.);
2. Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, working on-site;
3. Agency roles working in the HSE;
4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;
5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;
6. Paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.
Only those staff who met all of the above eligibility criteria were covered for this payment. I appreciate that many other workers, volunteers, and other citizens provided very important services during the pandemic.
The Government appreciates that those organisations and staff who are not eligible for this particular payment may feel disappointed. It was a hard task to set out the eligibility criteria for this payment but the Government based its decision on certain aspects of all the different roles within the Healthcare sector and certain risks which eligible frontline workers faced. Undoubtedly immense efforts have been made by all healthcare staff since the onset of the pandemic which has not gone unrecognised.
In recognition of the efforts of all workers, volunteers, and the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in remembrance of people who lost their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government announced a public holiday in 2022. There was also a new permanent public holiday established to mark St Brigid’s Day.
