Low paid workers who were on the frontlines during the worst of the Covid crisis, but who were not healthcare workers, should be entitled to the pandemic bonus payment.
This is the view of Labour Galway City West councillor, Niall McNelis said the current “proposals fall short of proper acknowledgement of all those who had to go out and risk their health to keep our country going and our people safe”.
A number of Galway politicians, while welcoming the once off €1,000 tax free payment, have called for carers, and others to be included in the payment’s eligibility criteria.
Complexities
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The once off €1,000 tax free payment for public healthcare workers - frontline health and ambulance workers, as well as an equivalent payment for relevant staff in private sector nursing homes and hospices - will be “rolled out as soon as possible”, according to An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin.
Owing to the complexities in terms of categories of workers, a panel has been created to look at where there may be issues. The details are further being worked out between the Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and the HSE.
While the payment has been welcomed by the Irish Nurse and Midwives Organisation, calls have been growing over the last seven days for the payment eligibility to be widened.
Low paid workers
The former Mayor of Galway, Niall McNelis said low paid private sector workers should not be excluded from the payment. “We need to see a dividend for all essential workers,” he said, “our cleaners, bus drivers, those who worked round the clock in our shops, and fire services.”
He said the Government can draw down on the list of essential workers to access tax records and issue a payment accordingly. He added that employers who can afford it should also reward their staff.
“The Government should be actively encouraging them to do so,” the former mayor said. “The reality is that a large share of workers in private sector employment, who had to work during the height of the pandemic, are already extremely low paid and €1,000 would make a big difference.”
Carers
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Sinn Féin Galway West TD, Mairéad Farrell, has called for carers to be included in the frontline bonus. While she welcomed the frontline bonus, she said it was “very regrettable” that carers have been omitted.
“These people were on the frontlines during the pandemic and without their work the Government would have been in a read predicament,” she said. “These carers lost their day service, their respite, and their unofficial respite in the form of help from grandparents and other family members when they were required to isolate at home. Their inclusion in the bonus would give recognition to their hard work.”
‘Questions remain’
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People Before Profit Galway representative, Adrian Curran, while welcoming the bonus payment, said it “does little to address the ongoing needs” of healthcare staff and the healthcare system.
He was critical of the lack of clarity over who would receive the payment, and said questions remain around nurses who turned to the private sector, vaccinators, GP staff, and agency nursing staff.
Mr Curran said the Government needs to “invest in healthcare workers” by providing them with a living wage, which increases in line with inflation each year, and an increase in the provision of critical care beds, which includes adequate staffing.
