Written answers
Tuesday, 9 April 2024
Department of Health
Health Services
Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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1592. To ask the Minister for Health if a situation could be examined (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15302/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their continuous efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic.
In January 2022 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:
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 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.
As the matter raised by the Deputy is a service matter, I have now referred the query on to the HSE for further response.
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