Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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667. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 674 of 28 March 2023 and 1451 of 18 April 2023, the dates that meetings were scheduled since June 2022 between representatives of his Department and trade unions representing healthcare workers with long Covid to discuss pay issues relating to this medical condition; the dates of such meetings between his Department and trade unions on long-Covid and healthcare workers that were cancelled by his Department since June 2022; the reason for these cancellations, acknowledging that this information does not conflict with the workings of industrial relations processes under way; the reason this information had not already been provided in response to previous parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22757/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the issues experienced by public health employees in relation to Long Covid. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has provided for Special Leave with Pay for 5 days for civil and public servants nationally, in line with the current public health advice, to facilitate employees to remain at home following a positive Covid-19 test result.

For certain employees who remain unfit to attend the workplace and are suffering from long-Covid, a temporary Scheme, specific to the public health service was introduced to provide for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post Covid infection. Employees who met the eligibility criteria for the Scheme transferred to the Scheme on 1st July 2022.

For those who do not meet the criteria for the temporary Scheme but remain unwell, the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme may be utilised.

The matter regarding Special Leave with Pay for Long Covid has been discussed with representative bodies at a number of Industrial Relations fora since June 2022, including the National Joint Council (20 September 2022, 29 November 2022, 17 January 2023), the Health Sector Oversight Body (19 September 2022) and the Public Service Agreement Group (19 October 2022). It has also been discussed in a trilateral engagement between the DoH, HSE and union officials (December 8 2022). The Department has engaged with the unions openly on each occasion. To the best of the knowledge of my officials, no meetings were cancelled outright and the Department has remained open to engagement on this matter.

The matter has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission for further engagement.