Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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650. To ask the Minister for Health the reason nurses working for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service were not included in the pandemic special recognition payment, nurses, who were at risk during the pandemic and worked right through it and if there are any plans to reconsider service to be included in any of the four cohorts for the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9092/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Firstly, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare staff for the important work carried out during the Covid 19 pandemic. I would also like to acknowledge workers in the Irish Blood Transfusion Service for the important work they carry out every day.

As the deputy is aware, 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;
  6. Paramedic staff employed by Dublin Fire Brigade to deliver services on behalf of the HSE.

It was a hard task to set out the eligibility criteria for this payment, but the Government based its decision on certain risks which eligible frontline workers faced. The eligibility criteria remains as set out above and no mandate exists to change it.

Undoubtedly immense efforts have been made by all healthcare staff since the onset of the pandemic which has not gone unrecognised.

Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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651. To ask the Minister for Health the current position in respect of the employment of occupational therapists in the Mayfield area of Cork (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9108/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.