Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all healthcare workers for their efforts during this most challenging period.

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

Eligibility criteria for the payment were set following significant consideration and consultation. 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 front-line Covid-19 exposed environments in the HSE;

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

The payment to HSE and Section 38 staff is substantially complete.

The roll-out of payments to cohorts 1 to 4 above has been carried out by an external contractor, KOSI Corporation. As of 22/03/2024, funding to 770 organisations for 79,672 staff has been issued.

Cohort	Organisations processed for payment
Private Sector Nursing Homes and Hospices	449
Eligible staff working on-site in Section 39 long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities	78
Agency roles working in the HSE	108
Health Care Support Assistants (also known as home help / home care / home support) contracted to the HSE	135
Total	770

Roll-out continues to any remaining eligible staff in cohorts 1 to 4 and it is receiving priority attention from the HSE and KOSI Corporation.

Funding was transferred to the Department of Defence and Dublin City Council to cover cohorts 5 and 6 above on 1/11/22. Payment of these staff is a matter for those bodies but I understand that payment to these cohorts is substantially complete.