Outrageous that hundreds of health workers are still awaiting pandemic bonus

Labour workers’ rights spokesperson Marie Sherlock has branded it as shameful that many cleaners, catering, security and other staff in public hospitals have yet to receive their pandemic bonus payment.

Senator Sherlock said:

“The utter disregard of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party towards low-paid workers is outrageous. It took 11 months after the pandemic payment was first announced in January 2022 to confirm that these workers would get the payment.

"Since last November, these workers have been waiting and have got nothing.

“I joined hospital cleaners in Beaumont this morning who have not received the pandemic bonus they so greatly deserve for keeping our hospitals and nursing homes going during the pandemic.

“The delay is a massive failure of leadership and shows utter disrespect towards some of the lowest paid workers in the health service. This payment was the very least that the government could do, but even this simple payment has become a disaster of mismanagement and turned a potentially good news story into a bad one.

“It is completely unacceptable that these workers have not been paid the €1000 Pandemic Special Recognition Payment. Many of us know first-hand the sacrifices made by these frontline workers to care for our loved ones. These workers went above and beyond the call of duty for Ireland during the pandemic and this effort must be recognised by government. Minister Donnelly needs to make good on his promise to these workers.”