Mr. Paul Bell:

That is correct. We have no knowledge of any survey interaction with any of our membership cohorts, which is very peculiar because the HSE made great play of the fact that it had consulted its employees.

The high rate of infection also applies to allied health professionals and healthcare assistants. The grades of a large cohort of healthcare workers who have contracted Covid-19 have not yet been identified.

The special annual leave credit is the proposal SIPTU is putting forward to assist our trade unions as well as employers. Many healthcare workers have taken special leave at their own cost or they have exhausted their parental or annual leave. Those workers will be missed in the health service going forward. As Ms Ní Sheaghda stated, these issues will impact on the health of the nation. We need to address those concerns now.