Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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427. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department will be recognising the recommendation of the European Commission and the EU Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational disease for health care workers; if his Department will move to adapt legislation according to the updated Commission recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46562/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Advisory Committee on Health & Safety have recently recommended the recognition of Covid as an occupational illness in health and social care, however Member States vary in respect of their treatment of Covid in this regard.

In Ireland, Special Leave with Pay (SLWP) is available for the recommended isolation period, for civil and public servants nationally who contract Covid. SLWP provides for paid leave, including full pay, any fixed allowances payable as well as premium payments.

For those who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a scheme, specific to the public health service has been developed to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection.

The HSE have issued the full details of the Scheme to all public health service employers by circular, and employees who meet the criteria for eligibility for the Scheme have been notified that they will transfer to the new Scheme retrospectively from 1^stJuly 2022.

I am advised by officials from the Department of Social Protection who operate the national Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, that Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and that they do not intend on revising this position.