Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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317. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update with regard to the payment of the pandemic recognition payment to retained Fire Service workers in Fingal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3970/23]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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325. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 519 of 18 January 2023, if the payment does in fact apply to members of the retained service who fulfil the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4069/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 325 together.

In January 2022, the Government announced a Covid-19 recognition payment for frontline healthcare workers to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. This once-off payment is ring fenced to staff who were ordinarily onsite in Covid-19-exposed healthcare environments within the period from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2021. It applies to eligible staff in the public health service and six other specific cohorts, one of which is staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver paramedic services on behalf of the Health Service Executive. As a consequence, the recognition payment is payable only to those employees of Dublin Fire Brigade who delivered such services in the period in question.

I understand that all employees of Dublin Fire Brigade who it confirmed met this criterion have now received payment. Accordingly, no further employees are due the payment.