Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the payment of the Covid healthcare bonus to non-HSE workers; and the date for the commencement of same. [47660/22]

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.

In relation to eligible staff in cohorts 1-4 above, in order to progress the payment of the Pandemic Recognition Payment, the HSE has published an invitation to tender for a third-party contractor to assist with the payment process. It is expected that once a contract is in place, information will be published shortly thereafter to facilitate applications and payment. Once this process is in place, the Department is keen that payments to eligible workers will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

With regard to eligible staff in cohorts 5 and 6, the Department of Health is engaging with the Department of Defence, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to progress payments to these cohorts as soon as possible.