Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Gallagher and the Seanad for giving me the opportunity to address this issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. For eligible public health sector employees suffering from long Covid, a temporary 12-month special scheme of paid leave was introduced in July 2022. This was on the foot of the withdrawal of access to the then Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's special leave with pay for those with long Covid. At the request of the Minister for Health, the special scheme has now been extended several times by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. Last week, the Minister of Health secured a further 12-month extension of this special scheme.The eligibility criteria remain as per the original sanction and the approximately 120 individuals already on the scheme will now continue to be supported until 30 June 2025. The eligibility criteria that were set when the scheme was first introduced were designed to ensure that those working in a Covid-exposed environment in the period before PPE and vaccinations were readily available, and before community transmission had become more prevalent, were supported separate to the public service sick leave scheme. It was not possible, nor would it have been appropriate, to provide access to the special scheme to all employees of the public health service who contracted Covid as the contraction of Covid is a public health issue and not an occupational issue and it is not possible to separate with absolute certainty those who contracted Covid in the workplace from those who contracted Covid generally in the community.

Depending on the date they initially contracted Covid-19, it is important to highlight that the approximately 120 employees on the special scheme have at this point already been supported on full pay for up to four years. In the first instance they were supported by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform on special leave with pay, and then followed by the health sector-specific special scheme with a further 12 month extension, which is now available since last week.

The Senator has asked that consideration be given to opening up access to the special scheme to all medical personnel. Noting that community transmission had become more prevalent than workplace transmission by June of 2020, and as such, on the balance of probability an extended cohort are significantly less likely to have contracted it in the workplace, it would be inappropriate for the State to provide continued and costly supports to such a cohort. It is important to note that many categories of workers from other sectors were also deemed essential and they presented for work in the workplace throughout the height of the pandemic period. No scheme was introduced for those essential workers and health has been the only sector to provide such extensive supports. As has always been the case, individuals whoare not eligible for the special scheme and who are unwell may use the full provisions of the public service sick leave scheme and these are full pay sick leave for three months followed by half pay sick leave for three months and, after that, temporary rehabilitative remuneration at a rate of 37.5% of pay which is possible for up to 547 days in a rolling four year period. The critical illness protocol will also provide further supports if granted.

The Minister for Health and the Government recognise the role of our public healthcare workers throughout the height of the pandemic. They went beyond the call of duty with many working in front-line, clinically exposed environments, treating Covid-19 positive patients. Many of that cohort contracted Covid-19 and some still suffer from long Covid. The health sector specific special scheme was introduced to provide support for that cohort of employees.