Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach's office for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, particularly as I am raising a west of Ireland issue, the Saolta Hospital Group, although it may be something that is relevant to other hospital groups as well. I am not sure about that.

We all appreciate and accept the sacrifices that front-line healthcare workers made over the past two years during the Covid-19 period and, indeed, before that in a very challenging health service environment. We know front-line healthcare workers have put their safety and health on the line, stayed apart from vulnerable loved-ones and held the hands of patients who passed away from all kinds of illnesses, including Covid-19.

These healthcare professionals worked long shifts in double PPE, not knowing what the future held for themselves, their families or their patients. Many of them suffered burn-out because having spent months and years in high-stress environments, they could take no more. Some have reached retirement age while some have opted to take early retirement because they can give no more. They were rightly hailed as heroes and nobody disagreed with their receiving a €1,000 bonus as a gesture of thanks and recognition by Government. However, when these heroes inquire about their pension entitlements after years of service, they are not treated like heroes, or at least not in the west. They face months, if not up to a year's, delay in getting a response as to what level of pension they are entitled to, and many retire without knowing exactly what their pension will be and when they will receive it.

I think the Minister of State will accept it is not unreasonable to expect that on retirement, you will receive your hard-earned pension but many healthcare workers in the west have to wait months for payment. I know of one case where a nurse, aged over 60, seeking early retirement because of burn-out and serious back problems, inquired of Saolta in March 2021 as to what her pension entitlement would be if she retired in early 2022. She followed up by phone in the summer of 2021 to be told that it could be early 2022 when she would be informed of her pension entitlement. Here we are in 2022 and she still has received no answer. She must now make the decision without knowing what she is entitled to. She has also been told by colleagues who have retired that she should set aside money because she will not be paid for months, when she retires. One colleague retired from Saolta in October 2020 but was not paid until the following March.

This is no way to treat healthcare staff who have given their working lives in service of their community. There can be no excuses. I ask the Minister of State to ensure the Department follows up and insists the Saolta Hospital Group puts in place the resources to make sure that retiring healthcare staff are treated properly and can retire with dignity and peace of mind.