Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I recognise the sufferers of long Covid and the change for 159 people who have been receiving full pay and are going onto a different scheme. While there are supports available on that scheme and its duration is also considerable, it is a change and I recognise that. My Department has championed the extension of that scheme, which enabled them to have full pay for as long as they did, on a number of occasions with the Department of public expenditure. As we thought that would end in June, there has been an additional six-month extension. That is in recognition of the work they did, the significance of long Covid and the impact it has on their lives. As the Deputy has stated, it is not feasible to sustain that in perpetuity and there has to be a transition to a different scheme. That is simply the way it is, and we are trying to put those supports in place for as long as possible.

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