Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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652. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the status of payment of the pandemic recognition payment to non-HSE employees; if all eligible frontline healthcare employees will receive the bonus payment by year-end 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57765/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly I would like to thank all healthcare workers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government announced a COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. To date, over 124,000 workers have received the payment, and payments to eligible HSE and Section 38 staff are substantially complete.

Certain non-HSE/Section 38 healthcare employees are also covered by the Government Decision, and efforts are underway to ensure an efficient and expeditious rollout to these staff. These include 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 HSE and KOSI Corp are currently progressing the rollout to eligible staff in cohorts 1-4 above. Information on the process involved has now been provided by the HSE and KOSI Corp to relevant organisations. I am pleased to confirm that payments to employers of eligible staff are rolling out, with funding transfers underway, and these employers will then pass on the payments to their eligible staff.

It is ultimately a matter for KOSI Corp to advise on how soon they expect all payments to be completed. However, please be advised that it is the intention of the Department to have all eligible healthcare workers paid without delay, and all possible efforts are being made to achieve this. 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.