Pandemic payment must be paid to all health staff
Labour’s health spokesperson Duncan Smith has today (Wednesday, 16th March) written to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly to demand his immediate intervention to resolve a potential dispute between health care workers, union representatives and health service employers.
Deputy Smith said:
“What was a good news story for health care workers is now becoming incredibly and rapidly divisive. It didn’t have to be this way. Government said only 8 weeks ago that health workers would be getting a €1,000 payment by the 31st of March and now workers are finding out that they will have to jump through so many hoops to get the payment it renders it insulting and disrespectful.
“The Minister for Health has a real responsibility and a duty of care to all staff in the health service to make good on the commitment from the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste to recognise the hard work and sacrifice they made over the course of the pandemic. The Minister has to power to stop any heavy-handed management attempts to introduce restrictions limiting the availability of the full €1,000 and make it available to all health staff including Section 38 and 39 workers, home care workers, private nursing home staff and general practice staff. He should do this as a matter of priority.”