Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is my pleasure to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, to the House. She is a very popular visitor.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Mary Butler. I am sharing this Commencement matter with Senator Eugene Murphy. We met with Annette, Cathy, Martina and Nora. These are all people who work in Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe. These are people who were on the front line all during the pandemic. They were our hospital warriors in the face of Covid-19. They were our warriors that went out every single day and left their families at home when we were asked to stay at home. When we were asked to keep people safe, they were asked to keep people safe by going to work. They put themselves on the line. These are contract cleaners and caterers. They work with Noonan's and Aramark, particularly in the Saolta University Hospital Group. They worked 12- or 14-hour shifts and they did what was asked of them, as many of us did. We came together as a country to fight this battle.

The pandemic recognition payment is a recognition by the Irish Government on behalf of the Irish people to staff who worked on the front line. We have an estimated 125,000 people, HSE and section 38 staff, who have now received this payment. Let me say again, it is a payment totally in recognition of the work that was done. However, a number of other categories remain. Our question here is what are the categories that are left? What about the clarification of contract cleaners and caterers for the pandemic health care payment? Are cleaners and caterers part of this? Do we have an estimate of the remaining payments and timelines now that we have a new provider? What is that going to be? I really appreciate the Minister of State's time on this. We really need to have fair and equal treatment for people who have worked so hard to keep everyone safe and to save lives. Members of my own family worked in cleaning. I have worked in cleaning. All through college I was involved in this kind of work. These people were on the front line for us. Go raibh maith agat.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Dolan for her timing. I want to ensure that Senator Murphy gets two minutes or else he might think I was acting in a partisan fashion.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

You are always very fair and of course your Roscommon connection makes sure you are always so.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have to be. Otherwise I would be in trouble.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Our health is our wealth. It is really fantastic to see the Minister of State back here in good form and I thank her for letting me know the good news two weeks ago. I am delighted for her because at the end of the day good health is what we all wish for. Many people get challenges with their health every day of the week. I am just going to endorse what Senator Dolan has said. I think she has given the story as it is. We met with those people. Cathy and the others met us with their SIPTU representative in Gullane's hotel in Ballinasloe last week. These people are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis to rear their families. They are doing a very good job and they are coming up with what I would call an embarrassing situation for the Oireachtas.I accept the Minister met these workers somewhere in Galway city in recent weeks, possibly at the university hospital, and that he was sympathetic. I acknowledge he is trying and that the Minister of State is quite annoyed about the situation. We are told this work is being out sourced to a company. The reality is we should get on with whatever has to be done and try to get that money paid to those people for Christmas. It is simply not right and it is embarrassing for us that it is happening and we need to get it out of the way. I have no more to say about that.

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Senators Dolan and Murphy. They are setting a very good standard of working for a common objective in the constituency. I invite the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Butler, to respond.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank both Senator Dolan and Murphy for raising this really important issue. In January of this year, to recognise their unique role and extraordinary efforts, the Government announced a pandemic recognition payment for front-line public sector healthcare workers. The pandemic recognition payment was introduced to express the appreciation of Government for those working in front-line environments exposed to Covid-19. Significant efforts have been made to progress the payments under this measure and it has been extremely frustrating. As the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, I have found it particularly frustrating.

These payments are the result of extensive efforts by Department of Health officials and the HSE. To date, more than 124,000 eligible front-line HSE and section 38 healthcare workers have been paid. This means the vast majority of these eligible front-line workers have now received the pandemic recognition payment. A wide variety of front-line workers within the HSE and section 38 organisations are eligible for this payment. Support staff such as cleaning and catering staff, among other groups, are included once they meet the eligibility criteria set out. There are also certain non-HSE and non-section 38 healthcare workers who are encompassed by the Government decision. Included in these groups are eligible staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices; section 39 long-term residential facilities for people with disabilities; agency roles working in the HSE; healthcare support assistants contracted to the HSE, who went into houses day after day during the pandemic; members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in front-line Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE and did Trojan work in supporting nursing homes and the roll out of the vaccine; and paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

The Department of Health has been working with the Department of Defence and the Local Government Management Agency to expedite and ensure the payment of eligible members of the Defence Forces seconded to Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE as well as Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics. The Department of Health has now transferred funds to Dublin City Council and the Department of Defence to allow for these payments to be completed as soon as possible. Payments to these eligible workers will be arranged by their employers. Anyone who was contracted directly by the HSE received their payments in a timely manner, but we have seen many areas where that did not happen. I am glad to see the issue of payments to members of the Defence Forces and the Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics has been expedited.

In August 2022, the HSE published an invitation to tender for a third-party contractor to assist with the payment process for eligible non-public sector workers. The Minister of Health, Deputy Donnelly, has instructed the HSE to use a simplified process to expedite payments to non-HSE organisations and the HSE and KOSI Corporation have now finalised a process to ensure the payment of these workers. I have spoken several times to the Minister regarding this and he is extremely frustrated by the slow pace of the delivery to the non-HSE workers and in rolling out the payments. Last week, information packs began issuing to relevant organisations. Packs have now issued to more than 750 organisations, including nursing homes, disability facilities, agency organisations and home care organisations. Organisations which make prompt returns can expect to receive funds in the coming weeks and I know everybody will welcome that.

Government is mindful of other workers who played their part in sustaining services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials considered the matter carefully and listened to the views of stakeholders before reaching their decision. It was difficult to draw a line on this matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks eligible front-line healthcare workers faced. I take on board the point made by both Senators in relation to the contract cleaners and caterers but I refer again to the line that states there are also certain non-HSE and non-section 38 healthcare workers who are encompassed by the Government decision. Support staff such as cleaning and catering staff among other groups are included once they meet the eligibility criteria set out.Support staff such as cleaning and catering staff, among other groups, are included once they meet the eligibility criteria set out.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I take it from the Minister of State's explanation that contract cleaners and caterers are included in this. Is that correct?

Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State will respond at the end.

Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State's written response notes that packs have now been issued to 750 relevant organisations, including agency organisations. The agencies I am concerned with, particularly around the sale to the university hospital healthcare group, which includes Portiuncula and other hospitals, are Aramark catering and Noonan cleaning services. That would include the security porters.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I remember a number of weeks after the announcement being contacted by some of those people in Ballinasloe, family members of the contract cleaners. I sought clarification. The clear answer I got at that time was that staff of any company the HSE contracted to do work on the hospitals were eligible. I think they will come under that. I hope, given what the Minister of State said, things will start to move and these people will get the payments.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The pandemic recognition payment is in the final stages of its roll-out and should begin reaching organisations very soon so that eligible staff can receive the payment as soon as possible. The nub of the issue is that there is a wide variety of front-line workers in the HSE and section 38 organisations eligible for the payment. Support staff such as cleaning and catering staff, among other groups, are included once they meet the eligibility criteria set out. These also include private sector nursing homes and hospices, section 39 long-term residential facilities for people with disability, agency roles in the HSE, healthcare support assistants, members of the Defence Forces and paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade. I hope that clarifies it. My understanding is they need only meet the eligibility criteria that is there for all, meaning those who work for a certain amount of time on the front line. Hopefully that payment will issue very soon.