Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 February 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Welfare and Safety of Workers and Patients in Public Health Service: Discussion

Mr. Kevin Figgis:

Support workers are the lowest-paid workers in the health service. For them to lose their benefit after three months can be devastating for their family, etc. Many are single-income homes. If they are deemed medically unfit to return to the workplace after something that happened in the workplace while they are doing their job, it is unacceptable that the employer turns its back while continuing to provide benefit to other grades.