Pandemic bonus would be 'mad and crazy', FG TD Kehoe tells ministers

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said deciding which frontline workers were eligible for the bonus would be a challenge. File picture

Ministers have been warned to "think long and hard" about giving nurses and other public sector workers a pandemic bonus.

Fine Gael TD Paul Kehoe told members of his own party, including the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that rewarding workers would be "mad and crazy".

It comes as the Taoiseach confirmed that any pandemic-related bonus for frontline workers will not be announced on Budget Day, but a number of options are being considered.

However, Mr Kehoe, a former Government chief whip, told a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party that he has been contacted by teachers and nurses who are "embarrassed" by the suggested bonus and claimed the Government would end up throwing away State money like "snuff at a wake".

He suggested that people chose professions such as nursing because they like the job and do not expect special treatment.

It is understood Mr Donohoe told the meeting that any bonus would be "carefully considered".

The issue of a bonus payment for different groups of public servants has been discussed at the highest levels of government with a number of ideas on the table including a €500 gift voucher and an additional public holiday.

However, Micheál Martin told reporters that deciding which frontline workers are eligible for the bonus would be "very challenging".

“That issue won’t be one for the Budget," he said.

“The recognition issue, for those particularly on the frontline within the healthcare services but generally people that work is one which is still gaining consideration. It is very challenging."

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar had suggested that civil servants across the board might be in line for the bonus, while the Taoiseach himself said that retail workers would be considered. While no formal talks on the issue have taken place, teachers' unions released a joint statement on the bonus, saying that their members should be included.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called the bonus the “worst type of auction politics”.

“While this sounds lovely there is a shocking cost to this plan. Well over a billion would have to be taken from government expenditure on the housing crisis, the health crisis and the education crisis. Should we not be taking people out of living in cardboard boxes first, should cancer patients not have timely treatment first and should children not be moved out of school prefabs first?"

The Finance Minister added that the term “pandemic recognition payment” has not been used in official communications.

After a meeting of the G7 finance ministers, Mr Donohoe said any agreement made on an OECD corporation tax rate will not influence calculations for next year’s budget, because the implementation period will not include the agreement actually being executed next year.

“It will take longer than than a year for that to happen and that's already been reflected in our budgetary figures,” he said.