Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the pandemic payment, which was the subject matter of the first two questions, 122,000 staff have now received the payment, representing the vast majority of those who are eligible and employed by the HSE. The HSE's figures reported for the week ending 9 September 2022 show 85,078 eligible HSE staff and 37,589 eligible section 38 staff in voluntary hospitals have received the payment. I am told that the total at the moment is 122,667. That is the figure I have been given via the Department from the HSE. However, there are eligible workers in other sectors that have not yet received the payment. I will engage with the Minister in relation to that.

In terms of Sligo University Hospital, there are broader issues across a number of hospitals. There are a number of factors that can lead to overcrowding, for example, the flow through the hospital and irregular discharges. In some cases, governance frameworks have been a factor. Where the HSE has intervened on the governance front, dividends have emerged. I just want to put that into the mix. I am not saying that is the issue in Sligo. There are capacity issues and, unfortunately, Covid continues to have a long and lingering effect on health. That is a big challenge for us in the winter. I appreciate the point the Deputy has raised.

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