Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1300. To ask the Minister for Health if he is aware of reports that Covid testing laboratory staff employed by private providers were excluded from the Covid-19 recognition payment, although they carried out Covid testing on behalf of the HSE; if it was the deliberate policy of his Department or the HSE to exclude such workers; if so, to supply any details about how this policy was arrived at; his views on whether it is appropriate that workers in a persistently Covid-exposed environment and carrying out vital public health work during the height of the Covid-19 crisis would be excluded from a payment; if this was not HSE or his Department's policy, the steps those employed in Covid-testing laboratories in the relevant period can take to access the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11959/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their continuous efforts during the Covid 19 Pandemic.

In January 2022 the Government announced a once-off, ex gratia COVID-19 pandemic recognition payment for certain frontline public sector healthcare workers, to recognise their unique role during the pandemic.

Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following significant consideration and consultation. I can confirm that in order to receive the recognition payment, staff must have:

Been in COVID vaccination cohorts 1 or 2, and

Worked ordinarily onsite in a COVID-19 exposed healthcare environment, and

Worked for at least 4 weeks in the 1/3/2020 – 30/6/2021 period, and

`Worked in a HSE/Section 38 organisation, or one of the following:

1.Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices (e.g. Private, Voluntary, Section 39, etc.);

2.Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, working on-site;

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; and

6.Paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

Only those staff who met all the above eligibility criteria were covered for this payment. I appreciate that many other workers, volunteers, and other citizens provided very important services during the pandemic.

It was a hard task to set out the eligibility criteria for this payment, but the Government based its decision on certain aspects of all the different roles within the Healthcare sector and certain risks which eligible frontline workers faced. Undoubtedly Immense efforts have been made by all healthcare staff since the onset of the pandemic which has not gone unrecognised.