Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

It is a week until the scheme of temporary special leave with pay for healthcare workers with long Covid is due to expire. This is a scheme for healthcare workers who contracted long Covid as a result of their work on the front line. It is due to expire in a week and there is still no announcement, as far as I know, as to whether it will be extended. These are workers who got a round of applause in here and from ordinary people across the country. Now, in the words of one of the workers affected, they are getting a kick in the teeth from the Government. It is scandalous. Long Covid should be recognised as an occupational illness across the board but particularly for healthcare workers who were asked to, and did, go on the front line when there was no vaccine and very little knowledge about Covid and who contracted long Covid as a result. They should be cared for, protected and provided for by the State, not thrown off this scheme unceremoniously. Will the scheme be extended?

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