Community and voluntary workers blocked from nursing home assignments

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said that “the HSE is currently finalising proposed redeployment arrangements” with Section 39 organisations.

The Department of Health has “blocked” proposals to deploy so-called Section 39 workers working for agencies into nursing homes, the epicentre of Ireland’s Covid-19 crisis, in order to avoid short-term costs, it has been claimed.

Forsa, the union representing the workers, called for such staff trained to work in community and voluntary settings to be brought under the remit of the HSE for the duration of the pandemic in a move akin to the Government’s takeover of private hospitals.