Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 June 2025
407. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health if she will outline the process through which people availing of the special long-Covid sick pay scheme for healthcare workers will be supported as they transition to the public service sick leave scheme; the way in which these people may be eligible for ill health retirement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33335/25]
View answerThe 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. TRR is an additional payment that is designed to support people recovering from longer-term illness or injury. The rate of TRR is 37.5% of the remuneration you would otherwise receive, were you not on sick leave. This rate is inclusive of any Illness Benefit that may be payable to an individual. In order to qualify for TRR, an individual must have accrued at least two years’ service in the Public Service, and there must be a reasonable prospect of them returning to work to deliver regular and effective service. If approved, TRR is available for 547 days on TRR in a rolling four-year period.
The Critical Illness Protocol will also provide further supports if granted. If an employee is deemed to have a “critical illness”, the duration of sick pay can be extended under certain circumstances. The employee should ordinarily be under the current or recent ongoing clinical care of a hospital consultant. The employee must have been deemed medically unfit for work by an Occupational Physician, and the medical condition must have at least one or more of the following characteristics:
• Acute life threatening physical illness.
• Chronic progressive illness, with well-established potential to reduce life expectancy.
• Acute major physical trauma ordinarily requiring corrective acute operative surgical treatment.
• In-patient or day hospital care of 10 consecutive days or greater, 2 days or greater of inpatient care if pregnancy related illness.
The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme also provides for reasonable accommodations to assist those returning to the workplace by permitting them to perform modified duties or to work an amended pattern where necessary while rehabilitating.
Retirement on ill health is dealt with on a case by case basis.
