Ryan O'Meara
Question:733. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Health to outline the criteria for the special scheme for healthcare workers impacted by long-Covid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13592/25]
View answerTuesday, 25 March 2025
Questions (733)
Written answers
The eligibility criteria set when the Special Scheme was first introduced were designed to ensure that employees supported by the Special Scheme included those working in a COVID exposed environment in the period before PPE and vaccinations were readily available, and before community transmission became more prevalent.
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, NDP and Reform (DPENDPR) a number of times, most recently at the end of June 2024 when it was extended for a further 12 months on the existing terms for the existing cohort of employees already being supported by it. The Special scheme will end on the 30th of June 2025.