Covid-19 Pandemic

Thursday, 4 July 2024

Questions (484)

Pauline Tully

Question:

484. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Health if there is a compensation scheme for persons who have died due to Covid-19 and from long-Covid, respectively. [28896/24]

View answer

Written answers

I am advised that the Deputy has refined this PQ to be in respect of seeking 'an outline of supports that exist for people who are out of work due to Long Covid and for the dependents of those who died from Covid/Long Covid', and as such my response is on that basis.

The COVID-19 Death in Service Ex-Gratia Scheme for Health Care Workers provides for an Ex-Gratia lump sum payment of €100,000 to the families of health and social care workers who contracted Covid-19 in the workplace and subsequently died. The scheme is to acknowledge the remarkable dedication and fortitude in our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic shown by workers across the health system. The scheme is administered by POBAL on behalf of my Department.

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 my request of the Special Scheme has been extended several times, most recently just last week when the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform (DPENDPR) granted a final extension, permitting the Special Scheme to run until the end of June 2025. DPENDPR have been very clear that this was the final extension that would be granted.

Employees on the Special Scheme will be supported by their employers Occupational Health Physician during the next 12 months until the Scheme concludes, including being supported to return to the workplace, where that is possible, with reasonable accommodations that may help with same.

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 supports available under the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme include:

Full pay sick leave for three months.

Followed by half pay sick leave for three months, and after that,

Temporary Rehabilitative Remuneration, which if granted, provides up to a 547 days of paid sick leave.

The Critical Illness Protocol may also provide further supports if granted.