Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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55. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons in receipt of special leave with pay on 30 June 2022; the number in receipt of this payment for two weeks or more on 30 June 2022; the number in receipt of this payment for 12 weeks or more on 30 June 2022; the additional supports being put in place for staff who contracted Covid-19 in their employment and who are now suffering from long Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36643/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Special leave with pay for COVID-19 arrangements were introduced by my Department in March 2020 as a temporary measure in response to the unprecedented circumstances presented by the COVID pandemic. Special Leave with Pay has been used in lieu of sick leave across the Public Service to assist in the prevention of the possible onward spread of COVID-19 in the work premises.

In relation to the number of persons in receipt of Special Leave with Pay on 30 June, and statistics recording the length of time employees have been in receipt of Special Leave with Pay, this is a matter for the relevant sector/organisations.

Special Leave with Pay for COVID-19 is not intended to replace sick leave in the Public Service, nor was it designed to address long COVID. Additionally, it is out of scope for Special Leave with Pay to address causation. The issue of where someone may or may not have contracted COVID-19 would need to be addressed on a sector by sector basis.

From 1 July 2022, Special Leave with Pay for COVID-19 will continue to be available for the stated self-isolation period, which is currently 7 days. This is in keeping with the rationale of assisting in the prevention of the possible onward spread of COVID-19 in the work premises.

Following this, if a Public Service employee remains unwell, they may avail of the provisions of the Public Service sick leave scheme, which is a form of paid leave for the Public Service. The Public Service Sick Leave scheme provides for the payment of the following to staff during periods of absence from work due to illness or injury:

- A maximum of 92 days on full pay in a rolling one year period

- Followed by a maximum of 91 days on half pay in a rolling one year period

- Subject to a maximum of 183 days paid sick leave in a rolling four year period

There is the potential for access to additional sick leave in certain circumstances as guided by the Critical Illness Protocol.

A temporary scheme of paid leave for certain public health service employees unfit for work post COVID-19 infection has been prepared and proposed to the public health sector staff representative bodies. Engagement is ongoing between the Department of Health, the HSE and the health sector representative bodies in this regard.