Frontline staff still waiting for €1,000 Covid pandemic bonus

A sign thanking frontline staff during the Covid-19 pandemic at Ballinacurra, Co Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Almost five months after the pandemic bonus for frontline healthcare staff was announced, hospitals and community groups have confirmed that thousands of staff are still waiting for their money.

The Pandemic Special Recognition Award, announced on January 19, was set at up to €1,000 per person. 

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has estimated the minimum expected cost just for HSE staff and those working for organisations funded under a Section 38 agreement with the HSE will be €100m.

The HSE has now released funding to most hospital groups, but across Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, and Waterford, many staff working for the South/SouthWest Hospital Group are still waiting. A spokeswoman said the hospitals “are engaged in the process of paying the Covid-19 bonus". 

Payments at the UL Hospital Group start from today. A spokesman said that “the majority of eligible healthcare workers” are expected to be paid by the end of June.

“Additional funds will be provided from the HSE to support the payment of the award," he added.

In Connacht, a spokeswoman for the SAOLTA hospital group said the bonus is “being processed” and they also expect to pay eligible staff within two weeks. The group thanked staff for their patience. 

The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group expects to have the bonus paid “by the end of June”, a spokeswoman said.

The Ireland East Hospital Group expects “the majority of the 12 hospitals” to have paid the bonus by then also, a spokesman said. “Funding has been made available to facilitate the payments,” he added.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has estimated the minimum expected cost just for HSE staff and those working for organisations funded under a Section 38 agreement with the HSE will be €100m. Picture: Brian Lawless.

Outside of hospitals, community healthcare staff, including professional carers, are also waiting.

“Payments to eligible Cork Kerry Community Healthcare staff are currently being processed,” a spokeswoman said. 

Some eligible staff have received their payment, while all others are with payroll for processing.

Across Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary, a spokesman said: “The process of facilitating payment of the Pandemic Special Recognition Award is well under way at HSE Mid West Community Healthcare, with eligible healthcare workers receiving payments from this week.” 

Bonus details for community staff not directly employed by the HSE are expected by mid-July, it was previously confirmed by Minister of State at the Department of Health Mary Butler.

This means up to 15,000 home carers with private companies on HSE contracts, as well as carers in voluntary organisations in a similar situation, could be waiting at least another month for payment. 

Carers have expressed frustration at the delays, pointing out some of their peers who are HSE employees have already received the payment. 

"I can’t believe they are making excuses, they hired us throughout the pandemic,” one woman told the Irish Examiner. 

People working in private nursing homes, redeployed members of the Defence Forces, eligible staff in some long-term residential care facilities for people with disabilities, and paramedics with the Department of Local Government, Housing and Heritage are also among those yet to hear about their bonus.