Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputies Grealish and Canney and I, as three Galway TDs, believe that the Government should reconsider its decision to terminate at the end of this month the special leave entitlement for front-line healthcare workers who are unable to return to work due to long Covid. These 143 staff contracted Covid-19 before a vaccine was available, and in many instances before sufficient PPE was available. They have been suffering from long Covid symptoms now for over two years. Front-line workers were publicly commended in Dáil Éireann during the pandemic for risking their lives, as well as those of their families, to deliver essential services. However, the vast majority of people with long Covid symptoms have been ignored by the State through its failure to recognise Covid as an occupational illness.

The very least we should do is support this small number of healthcare workers now in their hour of need. Finally, I ask the Minister to look at the labour market implications of long Covid on foot of the recent EU report on this topic.

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