Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, homeless and addiction services have been operating relentlessly as healthcare settings. They have remained open throughout the pandemic and must follow HSE protocols strictly, as required for congregated or healthcare settings, with all staff deemed healthcare workers in front-line services. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, both homeless and drug-using populations were identified as being particularly vulnerable to the effects of Covid. As a board member of a community drug team, I have heard from our staff who were seconded, and happy to be, at a moment's notice to the HSE to ensure that those who were very vulnerable continued to avail of services. This is very tough and demanding work at the best of times. During the current pandemic, it was frightening for them but they turned up for work every day they were asked. In fact, correspondence from the Chief Medical Officer to the Minister for Health at the onset of the pandemic classified the homeless cohort as one of his top priorities as a most vulnerable group.

Those in the homeless sector were required to adapt their services strictly to the protocols insisted upon by the HSE and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE, Covid response team. Their client group is transient and they work with a high number of unvaccinated and medically vulnerable clients for a long period of time. They are still continuing to implement the Covid-specific infection prevention and control measures, for longer than the general public and those in a significant number of other settings have. This is even more important now given the massive spike in Covid cases. The commitment of their staff in supporting the most vulnerable in our society, despite the risk to themselves, should be recognised along with other front-line workers.

The Dublin Homeless Network is a network of 20 NGOs that are the majority voice of voluntary homeless organisations in Dublin. These NGOs provide both residential accommodation and day services to people who are homeless and in need of a wide range of physical, mental and addiction health supports. The network has asked on several occasions to be included in the Covid recognition scheme since the announcement by Government of a once-off Covid recognition payment for those who worked on the front line during Covid-19. The network is asking for recognition on the basis that homeless services receive HSE and local authority grant funding for the payment of salaries to front-line workers; that staff in the sector are deemed healthcare workers; that Covid-19 protocols as directed by the HSE have been strictly adhered to, including the wearing of PPE equipment in clinical and congregated settings as required; that, under direction from the HSE, front-line staff including our nursing cohort conducted Covid testing and vaccinations; that associated staff, including auxiliary staff, worked in the same environment as nursing staff in clinical and congregated settings; and that staffing configuration and support in homeless services, including congregated settings, is similar to that in private nursing home settings.

Section 39 and section 10 front-line staff worked in similar clinical and congregated settings to those announced for the recognition payment scheme, starting from a time when there were no vaccinations available. These organisations are just asking that their staff, including nurses, project workers, care workers, cleaners, catering and other auxiliary staff, who worked with residents, clients and service users on a face-to-face basis during this period have their contributions recognised for inclusion in this Covid recognition scheme.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. On 19 January, the Government announced a Covid-19 recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. The payment of €1,000, which is welcome, will not be subject to income tax, USC or PRSI. The announcement also made provision for a pro rataapplication of the payment. The measure will be ring-fenced to staff ordinarily on site in Covid-19 exposed healthcare environments in the period between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2021. This payment will be made to those eligible public sector front-line healthcare staff, inclusive of agency staff working for the HSE, who worked in clinical settings. The list is not exhaustive but includes doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, porters, cleaners etc. who work in clinical settings. The measure also encompasses healthcare support assistants, also known as home carers or home help, employed by or carrying out duties contracted to the HSE. It also encompasses those eligible working on site in long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, inclusive of HSE and section 39 facilities. Finally, the measure also extends to equivalent healthcare workers in private nursing homes and hospices. Arrangements for these sectors are currently being progressed by the Department of Health.

The Government knows we have to apply this recognition to those who faced the highest risk and that is why this measure has been limited in scope. While immense efforts have undoubtedly been made by other healthcare staff, by other staff in other sectors and by the general public since the onset of this pandemic, it is right that the Government pursues this course to recognise those who took the greatest risk in the performance of their duties. The announcement covers eligible front-line healthcare workers only and I am also mindful of the many other workers throughout the country who played their part during this difficult period.

It is difficult to draw a line under this matter but the Government based its decision on the risks which front-line healthcare workers faced. The Deputy pointed out that these workers need to be recognised and that they were working as project workers, who took great care of their residents and clients. That is one of the aspects of the care that was given to people who were vulnerable and in homelessness and I want to thank the workers for all the work they did. I will raise this again and I will try to ensure that these people who did so much during the pandemic are recognised. I am working in my Department to try to ensure that the people who sacrificed so much and worked so hard will be recognised. I will raise this within the Department again.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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In his statement the Minister of State has recognised that those who faced the highest risk have got the payment but that only includes those who faced the highest risk and who work in the public sector. There are many other people who faced such risk. If it was not for the likes of the Simon Communities and all of those homeless agencies who provide a front-line service every day, the State would have to involve itself in those services and it would have to pay those people because they would be public service employees. I find it really difficult to understand why there is a differentiation when it comes to the people in those services who are front-line workers, as the Minister of State admits consistently in his statement and as has been consistently admitted by the Minister. That was the basis for why the payment was made in the first place. When there were no vaccinations, when we knew nothing about Covid-19 and when we were hearing horror stories coming from Italy and China of people dying on a daily basis, there was huge fear and we asked those people on the front line to go into their jobs to work with the most vulnerable and highest risk people every single day. They donned their PPE gear, carried out all the health and safety measures and did everything that was asked of them. They were and they are the essence of front-line workers, along with the brilliant work the public service front-line workers did. I would like to point out that the death in service ex gratiascheme for healthcare workers includes those in homeless and outreach services. If one dies in service, one is included in this but if one worked through and is still working through the pandemic, one is not included. I find that deeply unfair.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Many individuals in our country did so much during the pandemic and the Government and I are sincerely grateful to them for their commitment. It is appropriate that these public sector front-line healthcare workers get particular recognition. The Deputy is right that they exposed themselves to particular Covid-19 risks that did not exist in other working environments or for those working from home. The Deputy said they were asked to go into their jobs and they answered that call. They showed commitment and in essence they are front-line workers. I will continue to raise this within the Department and I will do so today because there is a recognition of the efforts of workers and volunteers and they were part of the general public response during Covid-19. There is a bank holiday but that is a permanent reminder for all the people of the efforts and sacrifices they made during the last two years. There is €1,000 going to many healthcare workers. There is another sector, however, and I will fight harder for them again today. I thank the Deputy for his contribution on this. People who care for those who are homeless or who use drugs did incredible work and I will raise that again through the Department as they should be recognised. I will talk to the various Ministers and Departments concerned to seek that they would be recognised.