Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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667. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 754 of 24 June 2025, the position regarding frontline workers who are suffering from long-Covid; if he proposes to extend the current deadline of 30 June 2025 for support payments to those in this position; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35559/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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In the public health sector, a temporary Special Scheme was put in place for 12 months in July 2022 to support eligible staff who were impacted by Long-Covid. At the request of my Department, approval to extend the Special Scheme was granted by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation a number of times, on the existing terms for the existing cohort of employees already being supported by it. The Special Scheme was due to conclude on 30th June 2025.

After a hearing in the Labor Court in June, it was recommended that a final extension of the current Special Scheme to the 31st of December 2025, at which point anyone remaining on the scheme should transition to the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme.

Any employee of the public health sector remaining unwell beyond that date, may utilise the full provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which will provide further support. Employees who did not qualify for the Special Scheme but are also impacted by Long-Covid may also utilise the supports of the sick leave scheme. 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.