Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue this morning. Last year, the Government announced a generous tax-free Covid-19 recognition payment for front-line healthcare workers to recognise their unique and exceptional role during the pandemic. The Senator is quite right; I know St. Christopher's Services quite well. I have visited a number of times and acknowledge the phenomenal work of the staff. Following extensive union consultation, eligible guidelines were first published online by the HSE on 19 April 2022. The Government based its decision on the substantial risks eligible healthcare workers faced. To be eligible, healthcare workers employed by the HSE section 38 organisations must have been in Covid-19 vaccination cohorts 1 and 2 and worked ordinarily in a Covid-19-exposed healthcare environment for at least a four-week period between March and June 2020. The first flaw in this script is that while it clearly acknowledges HSE and section 38, whoever typed this for me has omitted to include section 39. It is my understanding that section 39 organisations were part and parcel of the cohort of workers who were to receive payment. Therefore, I apologise for the fact that it has been omitted from the Cathaoirleach's script also and I will seek clarity on that.

In addition to the HSE section 38 staff, six specific cohorts are eligible subject to all other criteria. These include private sector independent nursing homes and hospices; eligible staff working on-site in section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities; agency staff working in the HSE; healthcare support assistants and members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in front-line Covid-19-exposed environments; and pandemic paramedic staff employed by the Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE. It is also important to understand that when long-term staff who supported people living in long-term residential services, that is, day-care centre staff, went in to support during that period of time, it also applies. That is a nuance that needs to be understood. To date, those who meet the criteria, more than 2,000 eligible healthcare workers, have received the pandemic recognition payment.As of 2 June the HSE shows 143,556 staff paid, comprising 90,410 HSE staff and an estimated 53,146 section 38 staff. The payment to staff in the HSE and section 38 organisations is substantially complete. Appeals for these specific groups were referred to an agreed joint HSE management and union committee. Over 3,500 appeals outcomes are now complete. The Department of Health transferred funding to the Defence Forces and Dublin City Council in respect of Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics and eligible Defence Forces staff. I understand that these payments are now complete.

Regarding non-public sector employees, the HSE and the external contractor, KOSI Corporation, are continuing to make significant efforts to progress payments to those eligible. Information on the process involved has now been provided to 850 organisations and of these, 740 have applied for funding to make the recognition payment. Some 689 organisations have already been paid or approved for payments for 66,693 eligible staff. Due to the complexities of the cohort, contractors had more supporting evidence to compile, while agencies have a large number of employees and employee locations to collate. These submissions are currently being managed through the KOSI process.