76. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to protect the incomes of front-line healthcare workers who continue to suffer from long Covid and who are in receipt of the special scheme of paid leave, which is due to expire in the coming weeks; if she plans to protect these workers by extending this scheme or recognising long Covid as an occupational illness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64383/25]

Sentiment score: 0.05

My question relates to the special sick pay scheme for Covid sufferers in the health service. As the Minister knows, it is expiring at the end of this year. We spoke about this in June. The Labour Court ruled that it should be extended to the end of the year. What interventions is the Minister making to ensure those 120-plus workers have decent financial support into 2026 in recognition of the fact they acquired this illness in the workplace in the course of their work?

Sentiment score: -0.07

Every long Covid sufferer out there will acknowledge that this scheme has been extended. They are very grateful that it has been kept going until now, but the reality is 159 healthcare workers are out there, including nurses, healthcare support workers, social workers and those working in mental health institutions, who face the prospect of a dramatic drop in income because of a condition they acquired in the workplace. Ireland, alongside Greece, is the only EU member state not to recognise long Covid. What will the Minister do to champion the rights of healthcare workers? As she knows, the temporary rehabilitation remuneration, TRR, scheme will only give workers just over a third of their full pay, at 37.5%. Some of these workers hope to go back into the workforce eventually. Some may never, but they should get the recognition they deserve for the illness they acquired in the workplace.

Sentiment score: 0.09

I do not think anybody is suggesting that full pay is sustainable into 2026 and beyond, but what should be sustainable for a small amount of money is a recognition that it is an occupational illness, with a new scheme put in place. The reality is that the science in 2021 suggested that people would be fully over long Covid at this stage. In June, I said I believed the Department was splitting hairs between Covid-19 and long Covid. The science and medical research are well established now in confirming what long Covid is. I know that are many long Covid sufferers and their families who are watching this debate are asking the Minister, with the rest of Government, to champion this such that it will be recognised as an occupational illness and a new scheme will be put in place in 2026.

Sentiment score: -0.12