Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There are different layers to the proposal. We discussed the first layer when Deputy Cathal Crowe asked whether consideration could be given to localised housing. In other words, accommodation attached to hospitals. That option used to exist. It would make a great deal of sense now, particularly for healthcare professionals who move around quite a lot. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, has sought the provision of specific housing supports for clinical staff. My view of that is it is a societal challenge rather than just a healthcare challenge. That option exists for nurses and midwives, but not for hospital porters, security officers, health and social care professionals and people working right across the country in different sectors other than health. There is an whole-of-government approach to that. For example, rent subsidies and various other supports have been put in place for renters. There are also supports for people to buy their own homes. That is broadly how we would do it.

On specialist payments, the Deputy may have only linked them to the cost-of-living crisis. He raised the issue of additional payments for specialist workers, and I think there is something to that.