Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government took a decision to introduce a €1,000 Covid-19 recognition payment for people who worked on the front line. Obviously, that was a very positive and welcome decision. Unfortunately, however, there are still thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people who have yet to receive this payment.

There are anomalies between certain regions. In my region, the people who worked in the registry office for births, marriages and deaths are not being paid the recognition payment, but the people in the neighbouring CHO regions are being paid it. People who changed jobs from their original job have yet to get it. People who were contracted to the HSE have yet to be paid. It was a very positive development and a good gesture but the positivity has been lost for certain people. When can these people expect to receive what they have been promised, which is the €1,000 recognition payment for working on the front line during the pandemic?

See this speech in context