Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

As the Minister of State is well aware, a very small number of staff who worked within the HSE and the medical services during a very difficult time, when Covid was there - 159, I understand - have long Covid. They are getting support from the HSE, but from 31 December of this year, that support will stop. I ask that serious consideration be given to putting in place a mechanism to give these people the support they need. They were the front-line workers. I have one letter here from a lady who wrote to the health committee - for today's meeting, in fact - and she set out that 40 staff members where she was working got Covid. She is now long term affected by Covid. It is clear that there have been a number of decisions internationally whereby recognition has been given to long Covid as an occupational illness. It is not treated as an occupational illness here and it needs to be. A new ILO convention, No. 192, requires benefits and protections for workers who become ill from occupational exposure to biological hazards. There is a European Commission recommendation to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease for healthcare and front-line workers. In addition, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has clearly set out its position.

These are front-line workers who gave everything to the system through a very difficult time, and we are now saying, "Not our problem", and that they should go onto a social welfare scheme, even though a lot of them have mortgages and young families. They are finding it difficult to accept this. It is time we stepped up to the line and gave the necessary support.

It should be remembered that if you are self-employed or privately employed, a lot of companies have illness packages in place in order that if you were to suffer an injury at work, that support scheme would remain in place until such time as you were able to go back to work. That does not apply in relation to the HSE. Yes, it applies for a period, but not after a three-month period. It was extended here in relation to Covid. I think it should be continued after 31 December because these are people who helped and supported patients who had Covid. They had to work through very difficult times providing healthcare to a large percentage of the population when everyone else was required to stay at home, including from schools, which were closed at this time. Yet they still went out to work, took the risks and provided the care. Now they find the State saying, "Sorry, not our problem. We have given as much support as we can but we are not prepared to continue with that support after 31 December."

A mechanism should be put in place for this exceptional circumstance. We always need to change the law. We always need to make sure we can adequately provide for those who have given their all to the system, especially the health system. I ask for the change to be made and for them to be given the necessary support.

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