Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In the public health sector, a temporary Special Scheme has been in place since July 2022 to provide special leave with pay for eligible staff in respect of Long Covid. This Special Scheme has been extended a number of times, however it will conclude as planned on 31st March 2024 and no further extensions will be granted.

Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell after that date, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support.

The sick leave scheme provides full pay for three months, followed by half pay for three months, and after that, Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration may be applied for, which, if granted, provides up to a further 547 days of paid leave. The Critical Illness Protocol that forms part of the sick leave scheme may also provide additional supports if granted.

These available supports have been confirmed in a letter that issued from the Department to the HSE, for onward distribution to impacted employees ahead of the close out of the Special Scheme on the 31st March.

These supports of the sick leave scheme are available to all public health sector employees who are unwell and need to remain absent from the workplace with other illnesses also.

There are a cohort of employees who developed Long Covid, and who did not meet the criteria for the Special Scheme. This cohort were supported by DPENDPR’s Special Leave with Pay initially (for up to 28 months depending on date of testing positive for Covid-19), and have since been able to avail of the full suite of supports available via the sick leave scheme. They are not impacted by the conclusion of the Special Scheme.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the matter raised is a service delivery matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.