Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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493. To ask the Minister for Health the length of time that the review of funding for the Mater Hospital long-Covid clinic will take; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45482/22]

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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502. To ask the Minister for Health the neuro-rehabilitations supports which are being made available for long-Covid patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45542/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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505. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to update the HSE guidelines on long-Covid to take into account research regarding the neurological symptoms of the disease; the engagement the HSE has had with infectious disease experts in the development of the Model of Care for long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45569/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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507. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the establishment of a centre for neurorehabilitation at the Mater Hospital, led by a team of neurorehabilitation specialists, neurologists, infectious diseases physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and neurophysiotherapists, in order to improve treatment for patients of long-Covid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45571/22]

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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561. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for when the business case submitted by the Mater Hospital seeking the resources required for the continued support of their long-Covid Clinic will be decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45891/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 493, 502, 505, 507 and 561 together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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494. To ask the Minister for Health if certain charges apply in the case of patients with long-Covid requesting their files from a hospital (details supplied); if so, if in the circumstances of the pandemic, still ongoing, such charges could be waived; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45517/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The charging of Search & Retrieval fees in respect of a request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 is provided for in Section 27 of that Act. The decision to charge search and retrieval fees is matter for the FOI head in the FOI body concerned.

Therefore as this is an operational issue I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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495. To ask the Minister for Health if long-Covid will be classified as a long-term illness given the number of persons with the condition who have been unable to work at all, or as usual, in the past two years, the cost of numerous general practitioner and consultant visits and various medications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45518/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Information regarding the features, course and impact of COVID-19 is still emerging. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has developed and is implementing an interim Model of Care to provide Long COVID services nationally with 2.2 million euro allocated this year. Funding for next year is currently under consideration. This Model of Care involves services across a number of healthcare settings including GPs, community services and acute hospitals. The first priority is to ensure there are Long COVID and Post-Acute COVID clinics operating within each Hospital Group to ensure a national service.

The Long-Term Illness (LTI) scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975, prescribing 16 illnesses covered by the scheme. These are: acute leukaemia; mental handicap; cerebral palsy; mental illness (in a person under 16); cystic fibrosis; multiple sclerosis; diabetes insipidus; muscular dystrophies; diabetes mellitus; parkinsonism; epilepsy; phenylketonuria; haemophilia; spina bifida; hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide.

Under the LTI scheme, patients receive drugs, medicines, and medical and surgical appliances directly related to the treatment of their illness, free of charge. The LTI scheme will be included as part of a review of the current eligibility framework, including the basis for existing hospital and medication charges, to be carried out under commitments given in the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy. It is not possible at this juncture to say what the outcome of this review will be.

For individuals who are not covered by the LTI scheme there are other schemes that may assist with their medical expenses.

Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €80 a month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals with ongoing expenditure on medicines.

People who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be eligible for a medical card. In accordance with the provisions of the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE. Medical card eligibility is primarily based on an assessment of means and is not granted on the basis of any particular condition. In certain circumstances the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income guidelines, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from illness.

In circumstances where an applicant is still over the income limit for a medical card, they are then assessed for a GP visit card, which entitles the applicant to GP visits without charge.

Individuals may also be entitled to claim tax relief on the cost of their medical expenses, including medicines prescribed by a doctor, dentist, or consultant. Relief is at the standard tax rate of 20%.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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496. To ask the Minister for Health when agency staff employed during Covid will receive their Covid payment; if some have done so already; the community health areas that have paid this to contract workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45522/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.

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. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments.

It is hoped that information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/Section 38 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:

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

2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;

3. Agency roles working in the HSE;

4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;

5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;

6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place. Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

As the rollout of payments to the eligible workers in non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisations has not yet begun, and eligibility has not yet been assessed across the private sector, I cannot provide an estimated number of workers who will receive the payment. We expect the rollout to begin shortly and for eligible workers to be paid as soon as possible.

Rolling out the payment to eligible employees of those specific non-HSE/Section 38 organisations covered by the government decision 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, but this work is being given priority attention.

I want to reassure you that the Government is prioritising this payment and remains extremely appreciative for all our healthcare workers’ efforts in the fight against Covid-19.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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497. To ask the Minister for Health if firefighters in Dublin Fire Brigade are entitled to the €1000 pandemic bonus payment for frontline workers; when they and staff in private nursing homes may expect payment; the number of workers who are entitled to this payment and who remain unpaid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45529/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.

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. This measure will be ring fenced to staff working ordinarily onsite in COVID-19 exposed healthcare environments.

The rollout of the Pandemic Recognition Payment for eligible HSE and Section 38 employees is currently receiving priority. As of Friday, 9 September, 85,262 eligible HSE staff have received payment around the country. This number excludes Section 38 agencies which are estimated to have paid 38,287 staff to date thereby bringing the total number of employees paid to 123,549.

Information will be published shortly for those certain non-HSE/Section 38 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:

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

2. Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities;

3. Agency roles working in the HSE;

4. Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE;

5. Members of the Defence Forces redeployed to work in frontline Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;

6. Paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

The above 6 areas only are covered by this Government Decision and all eligible workers will be paid in accordance with the overarching eligibility criteria in place. Once this process is published, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

As the rollout of payments to the eligible workers in non-HSE/non-Section 38 organisations has not yet begun, and eligibility has not yet been assessed across the private sector, I cannot provide an estimated number of workers who will receive the payment. We expect the rollout to begin shortly and for eligible workers to be paid as soon as possible.

At this point, the Department is not in a position to assess or comment on individual cases. Please be assured that work on rolling out payment to non-HSE/Section 38 organisations is being prioritised and once information on which organisations shall be paid is published, eligibility for payment can be checked at that point.

Rolling out the payment to eligible employees of those specific non-HSE/Section 38 organisations covered by the government decision 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, but this work is being given priority attention.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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498. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the roll-out of the ex-gratia scheme for medical workers who died from Covid-19 during the pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45535/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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We all owe a debt of gratitude to the healthcare workers who served us with such dedication during the pandemic and especially through those very difficult first phases before vaccination was available. Tragically in a small number of cases, healthcare workers who contracted COVID-19 in the course of their work passed away. These scheme provides a payment of €100,000 to the families of those workers as a token of our esteem and in recognition of the hardship faced by their families.

I am pleased to be able to advise that this scheme opened for applications on September 12th.

Pobal are engaged to administer the Covid-19 Death in Service Ex-Gratia scheme on behalf of the Department. Applications will be accepted from either the Executor/Administrator (legal personal representative) of the deceased or a solicitor acting on their behalf.

Full details and claim forms for the scheme can be accessed at www.pobal.ie/programmes/covid-19-death-in-service-scheme-for-healthcare-workers/.