Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I have had a couple of adversarial exchanges with the Taoiseach in this House, but I will be the first person to applaud him if he intervenes in the situation facing healthcare workers with long Covid. He met a group of these workers last June. He knows that their case is genuine and that they have suffered terribly not just with their symptoms but also with being on a financial cliff edge every six or 12 months as their special Covid leave with pay was due to end. Their circumstances are extremely difficult. They are about to transition onto half of their basic salary on the standard sick leave scheme, and they are facing not being able to pay their mortgages soon. Providing these workers, who sacrificed so much on all of our behalf, with financial security would be a minimal cost to the State but would make a profound difference to their lives and to their peace of mind. The group that met the Taoiseach last June urgently needs to meet him again. I know the Taoiseach has been extremely busy recently, but I implore him to make time for that soon.

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