Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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1403. To ask the Minister for Health the current situation regarding negotiations for public health service employees diagnosed with long Covid; if he has considered best international practice with regard to dealing with this matter both from a medical and a financial point of view for the employees diagnosed; the state of negotiations with an organisation (details supplied) regarding healthcare workers in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12481/24]

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 for eligible staff in respect of Long Covid. This Special Scheme has been extended a number of times, most recently in October 2023, when the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform (DPENDPR) granted a final extension, permitting the Special Scheme to run until 31st March 2024. DPENDPR's sanction to extend the Special Scheme to that date was contingent on it being the final sanction that would be provided, and as such the Special Scheme will conclude on 31st March 2024.

The conclusion of the Special Scheme has been the subject of a claim from health sector staff representative bodies, and the Labour Court has recently recommended that persons with Long COVID in the health service should be supported by taking account of the availability of the range of support arrangement already in place, including the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme.

The circa 118 employees currently on the Special Scheme have been supported on full pay for close to four years to date (depending on the date they initially contracted Covid) having moved from DPENDPR’s Special Leave with Pay to the Special Scheme in July 2022. Any employee remaining unwell after the Special Scheme concludes, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, and employees have received personal notification of this from their employer.

The supports available under the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme include:

• Full pay sick leave for three months.
• Followed by half pay sick leave for three months, and after that,
• Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration, which if granted, provides up to a 547 days of paid sick leave.
• The Critical Illness Protocol may also provide further supports if granted.