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

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon. He is here on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. The Government made a decision in January 2022 to acknowledge the incredible work by healthcare staff during the Covid pandemic and the service given in a crisis to keep people safe. Staff went to work every day with patients sick from Covid-19. They faced more risk themselves, as did vulnerable members of their families when staff came home. The pandemic special recognition payment of €1,000 is welcome for healthcare employees and their families and is so well-deserved, especially in this time of rising costs.

Contract employees in catering and cleaning services worked alongside HSE staff in hospitals across the country. They worked as team. They provided essential services and infection control. They brought meals to patients in Covid-19 wards. However, almost a year and six months later, these contract employees have still not received payment. I raised this issue in the House in November last with a focus on eligibility for the payment. At that time the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, stated 124,000 eligible front-line HSE and section 38 healthcare workers had been paid and confirmed contract employees eligible under certain criteria were eligible for this payment. These contract employees, who are mainly women, from Portiuncula Hospital have come to me again to ask where their payment is. I ask the Minister of State where is it. Why are they and their families left waiting? These staff on lower incomes are still waiting for this acknowledgement from Government, the Department of Health and the HSE. They work alongside their colleagues employed directly by the HSE in the same roles and doing the same work, and they see how all other groups have been paid in advance of them. HSE employees, nurses, doctors and health and social care professionals received this payment last year and it was well deserved, but why is this group left waiting?

KOSI manages the verification process on behalf of the HSE. It ensures eligibility and that everything is correct. That is great. My colleague, Deputy Colm Burke, who is Fine Gael spokesperson on health, received a parliamentary question response on this issue noting KOSI is the group contracted to manage payments. Those eligible for the payment are divided into four cohorts. Payments have been completed to just 45% of cohort 3, which is agency and contractor roles working in the HSE. I understand this could be between 80,000 to 100,000 people across contractors, but what is the Department of Health going to do to accelerate payments to cleaners and caterers? It is not good enough these groups on low incomes are waiting a year and a half for recognition payments as a tribute to the risk they faced in difficult times. How is the Department engaging with KOSI on timelines and additional resources as required? Why are the contract agencies not prioritising correct employee information for KOSI, especially as they are still under contract and receiving payments for work completed now in the HSE and Department of Health? A number of submissions have been returned by KOSI to contract agencies and this is causing additional delays. How do we ensure information has been provided even now to contract employees by their agencies and by KOSI and the HSE on the timelines and reason for delays?

Employees are being left in the dark. There is to-ing and fro-ing between these agencies and KOSI, as eligibility is checked for thousands of employees. Payments to all in an agency are held if there is any discrepancy. Are there measures for phased payments to groups of individuals approved within each agency? This could ensure payments start issuing to approved batches of employees. It could speed this up. The group I spoke to at Portiuncula Hospital are proud of what they achieved, their engagement with patients and how they contributed to saving lives while working with colleagues in hospitals countrywide. It is important this invaluable team spirit in hospital environments across the country is not tarnished by further delays.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Dolan for raising an important issue. I acknowledge her passion about this and her frustration. I give apologies on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, who could not be here today. The Senator clearly articulated the frustration among her constituents and the healthcare workers not just in her area, but also around the country, who are in cohort 3 and therefore impacted by this.

Last year, as the Senator knows, the Government announced a tax-free Covid-19 recognition payment for front-line healthcare workers to recognise their unique and exceptional role during the pandemic. Following extensive union consultation, eligibility 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 or section 38 organisation must have been in Covid vaccination cohorts 1 or 2 and worked ordinarily in a Covid-19 exposed healthcare environment for at least a four-week period between March and June 2020. In addition to HSE and Section 38 staff, six specific cohorts are eligible, subject to all other criteria. These include: private sector and independent nursing homes and hospices; eligible staff working on-site in section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities; agency roles working in the HSE; health care support assistants, also known as home help, home care and home support, contracted to the HSE; members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in front-line Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE; and paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE. To date, more than 205,000 eligible healthcare workers have received the pandemic recognition payment. As of 5 May, HSE data show 142,918 staff were paid, made up of 90,228 HSE staff and an estimated 52,690 staff of section 38 organisations. Payment to staff in the HSE and section 38 organisations, who make up cohorts 1 and 2, is substantially complete. Appeals for these specific groups were referred to an agreed joint HSE management-union committee. More than 3,500 appeal outcomes are now complete.

The HSE and an external contractor, KOSI Corporation, continue significant efforts to progress payments to eligible employees outside the public sector, including contract and agency staff within cohort 3. Information on the process involved has now been provided to 849 organisations and, of these, 737 have applied for funding to make the recognition payment. A total of 674 organisations have already been paid or approved for payments to 64,174 eligible staff. Due to complexities associated with staff in cohort 3, contractors have more supporting evidence to compile and agencies have a large number of employees and employee locations to collate. These submissions are currently being managed through the KOSI Corporation process.

Approximately 90% of submissions received to date have included errors that required correction before payment. The potential cost to the State of overpayments is €3.77 million. More than 400 organisations have submitted more than one claim. As this is a self-assessment process, it is difficult to assess accurately how many eligible staff remain to be paid. KOSI Corporation continues to receive claim packs regularly.

It is important to acknowledge that there are individuals or groups of workers who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic in very difficult circumstances but are not covered by these measures. The Government considered this matter carefully, listening to the views of stakeholders before reaching its decision on eligibility. It was difficult to draw a line on the matter, but the Government based its decision on the risks faced by eligible front-line healthcare workers.

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

We asked these workers to step up at the start of the Covid period. We asked them to do their jobs despite the risk of sickness and before they had the necessary personal protective equipment. We asked them to go into work morning after morning, as we all listened every evening to the news of rising case numbers. The people working in hospitals did not ask the Government to wait until we had all the information on symptoms or until there was a vaccine. They put the patients first and did what they did for them.

I appreciate the Minister of State's response. However, the payments to these groups must be accelerated. It is not clear from the response provided by the Department of Health what action is to be taken in this regard. There are ways to ensure there is equity and fairness in the process. Consideration could be given to processing batch payments to groups of employees that have been approved under the scheme, rather than leaving thousands of people waiting without any indication of a timeline for payment. When will those still waiting be paid? According to a response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Colm Burke, only 45% of staff in cohort 3 have received their payment to date.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will take the valid points the Senator raised back to the Minister for Health, on whose behalf I am taking this Commencement matter, and his officials. The pandemic recognition payment scheme is in its final stages, with more than 205,000 eligible employees having now been paid. The payments to eligible workers in the HSE and section 38 organisations are substantially completed, as I have outlined, with more than 3,500 appeals also completed. The HSE and KOSI Corporation continue to process payment applications for eligible non-public sector employees as they are received. KOSI Corporation established a separate portal for employees who do not have an employer to claim payment on their behalf. Claim packs are still being received daily.

The pandemic recognition payment formed part of a larger set of measures introduced by the Government to acknowledge the hard work and challenges faced by Irish society during the Covid-19 pandemic. The measures included a once-off public holiday, which took place on 18 March 2022, followed by the institution of an ongoing annual public holiday on St. Brigid's Day.

I reiterate my sincere gratitude to the Senator for raising this matter. I will convey to the Minister the points she raised and her clearly articulated frustrations with the process.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

According to the note in front of me, the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is to take the next Commencement matter. As he is not in the Chamber, we will move on to the third matter, which will be taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon.

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am happy to engage with the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, on the matter I am raising.

Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Without preparation, he may not be able to answer it. This is a decision for the Chair. According to the order set out for me, the second Commencement matter, in the name of Senator Boyhan, is to be taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond. As the latter is not here, we will proceed to the third Commencement matter, in the name of Senator Ward, and I will make inquiries about whether Senator Boyhan's matter can be dealt with subsequently. Is that okay with the Senator?

Victor Boyhan (Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Yes.