Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1559. To ask the Minister for Health the engagement he has had to ensure the members of the Defence Forces are paid the €1,000 pandemic bonus as soon as possible given that it was announced in January 2022. [29731/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs on 19th April, which are available on its website: www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html

The HSE and the Department are currently examining progressing the rollout to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. Rolling out the payment to eligible non-HSE and non-Section 38 employees is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered.

Officials in my Department and the HSE are prioritising the work needed to progress this. They shall shortly publish information for those certain non-HSE/S38 healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff. This shall cover eligible staff in:

- Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);

- 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 / home support) contracted to the HSE;

- Redeployed members of Department of Defence to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments for the HSE;

- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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1560. To ask the Minister for Health if the eligibility requirement of 12 months in post given the rotational nature of their schedule will be applied to those members of the Defence Forces that applied for the €1,000 pandemic bonus. [29732/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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On January 19th, the Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. Following extensive engagement with healthcare unions on the matter, the HSE published eligibility guidelines and FAQs on 19th April, which are available on its website: www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-012-2022-pandemic-special-recognition-payment.html

The HSE and the Department are currently examining progressing the rollout to the list of 6 non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisation types covered by the Government Decision. Rolling out the payment to eligible non-HSE and non-Section 38 employees is a complex task, particularly as these employees are not normally paid by the public health service, duplicate payments need to be avoided, and there are many organisations to be covered.

Officials in my Department and the HSE are prioritising the work needed to progress this. They shall shortly publish information for those certain non-HSE/S38 healthcare employees that are covered by the Government Decision and the process available to their employers to implement this measure for their eligible staff. This shall cover eligible staff in:

- Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39 etc.);

- 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 / home support) contracted to the HSE;

- Redeployed members of Department of Defence to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments for the HSE;

- Paramedics employed by the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage