Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Lahart makes an excellent point. There is a need for us to recognise the extraordinary efforts of so many people, particularly front-line healthcare staff. Nobody has an issue with them being singled out for praise which is richly deserved. If we get this wrong it could be divisive in society. Deputy Lahart touched on carers and the extra burden that fell on them over the course of the pandemic because day services were shut down in the interest of protecting public health. There is a wide range of issues that need to be taken into account. Some private sector employers have already, as Deputy Lahart acknowledged, provided recognition to their workers by increasing the discount percentage on their staff cards, for example, and so on. That has been done in some instances but not in all. A lot of private sector employers are under great pressure and we should not forget that. To answer Deputy Barry's question, I am not committing to a particular date. I am saying that in the coming weeks we need to work through this and get it right. The Deputy is asking about points of detail about exactly when it will be paid and so on. That is the subject of consideration and I want to consult with colleagues on that.

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