Labour leader and health spokesperson Alan Kelly has reiterated his call to Government to pay a pandemic bonus to honour and recognise the work that healthcare workers have done to slow the spread of Covid.
Backing health unions call to the Taoiseach to intervene, Deputy Kelly said he is taken aback that no proposal has been put forward by the Government or the HSE.
Deputy Kelly recalled his proposal last April that the State would gift €1000 to healthcare workers and said it was insulting to all healthcare workers that there was no offer made yet.
Deputy Kelly said. “18 months ago nurses, doctors, healthcare assistants, lab scientists, and multiple other workers across our hospitals and primary care system faced a nightmare scenario of a virus with no vaccine or cure. Our healthcare workers reported to the frontline of the fight against Covid-19, often with little or no PPE at the start, and have delivered care for the Irish people despite extremely difficult conditions. They had to self-isolate away from their families often for weeks so that they could provide the frontline care”
“They are heroes but they’ve had enough of platitudes – they need to be compensated for their work. Several nations have given their healthcare workers pay increases on lump sum bonus payments to recognise their work during the pandemic”
