Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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184. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether members of An Garda Síochána are doing vital work during the pandemic and that they are public facing; if he made a case for their inclusion in the Covid pandemic bonus payment in this context; if so, the details of the case he made; if not, the reason; and if he plans to pursue the issue via the Government appointed panel. [4097/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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185. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider in relation to the Covid recognition payment including other workers that have also had to attend work throughout the lockdown periods such as security guards. [3977/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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186. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider in relation to the Covid recognition payment including other workers that have also had to attend work throughout the lockdown periods such as catering workers that fed staff and patients throughout the pandemic. [3978/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider extending the €1,000 bonus to prison officers who continued to work all through the pandemic and who would be responsible for bringing prisoners into hospitals and remaining with them for their stay in hospital (details supplied). [4008/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 to 187, inclusive, together.

There are many thousands of people across the country who went above and beyond over the course of the last two years. The continued contribution of so many people in all walks of life has been essential to getting us through this difficult time. Collaboration and solidarity have been the hallmark of our national approach to COVID-19 and the measures announced on 19 January are true to those principles.

After careful consideration, the Government made the decision to give all the people of Ireland a national day of recognition and commemoration on the 18^thof March this year, and another permanent public holiday in February commencing in 2023.

The Government took many factors into consideration when coming to a decision in relation to any additional recognition measure for specific sectors, however it ultimately agreed that acknowledging certain frontline healthcare workers in the public sector and in private nursing homes and hospices in particular was the most fair and appropriate, whilst acknowledging all other healthcare workers and sectors with the public holidays.

This is a balanced package of measures that will benefit all workers across the economy, while also recognising in particular the risks faced by certain frontline healthcare workers during this pandemic.