Government must reverse its covid leave stance and implement Labour Court recommendation for long covid healthcare workers.
Government must reverse its covid leave stance and implement Labour Court recommendation for long covid healthcare workers. - The Labour Party
- Government must immediately agree to extending the special scheme of paid leave as per the Labour Court recommendations released today to end of December 2025.
- Attitude of Government towards the 159 workers who risked their health and lives in a public health emergency and who suffer long term consequences, is down right disrespectful and degrading. Special scheme of paid leave for public health sector employees suffering from Long-COVID is due to expire on 30th of June.
- Ireland one of two EU countries that does not recognise COVID 19 as an occupational illness. In the six months to end December 2025, Government must act to introduce long term support scheme to recognise and support healthcare workers who are experiencing long covid.
Marie Sherlock TD, Labour Spokesperson on Health, has said that Government must reverse its position on the long covid leave scheme and immediately implement the Labour Court recommendations released today.
Raising the issue in the Dáil today, Deputy Sherlock said:
“It is both disrespectful and degrading of government to end the special scheme of paid leave for health care workers suffering from long-covid and put no provisions in place for these workers other than the other . These workers took on enormous personal risk to themselves in service of public health during the covid emergency. After five years of enduring really debilitating symptoms, Government has effectively told them to get over it.
“Thankfully the Labour Court has deemed otherwise and it is vital Government now implement the recommendation immediately to extend the scheme to the end of the year. It is disgraceful that Government failed to listen and that SIPTU, INMO, FORSA and the IMO were forced to go to the Labour court to pursue this.
“I have had many health workers express to me their enormous stress and anxiety about how they will pay their bills, mortgages, and look after their families. These are workers who are continuing to experience symptoms including brain fog, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, heart issues, and ongoing aches and pains.
“After four extensions to the special scheme, Government must extend again to the end of the year and crucially it must use that time to establish a long term sustainable support scheme to recognise and support healthcare workers who are experiencing long covid.
In the context of a 150,000 strong workforce, the 159 workers amount to a tiny share of the overall staff level. It is appalling that high court costs are wracked up by a case that workers felt they needed to take and that time was spent by Department officials fighting trade unions at the Labour court. Government needs to stop wasting money and time on this and ensure sustainable supports are put in place for these workers for as long as they need it.”