Healthcare workers 'insulted' as eight-month Covid bonus delay continues

'Staff in nursing homes feel insulted by the extended and unacceptable delay that has manifested,' said  Nursing Homes Ireland chief executive Tadhg Daly. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Representative bodies for healthcare assistants in Ireland have expressed concern that workers in private and voluntary nursing homes have yet to receive their Covid-19 bonus payment from the State.

The tax-free payment of €1,000 for frontline staff was announced last January in recognition of their work during the pandemic. However, thousands of workers have still not been paid.

Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) and the Alliance of Healthcare Assistants in Ireland (AHCAI) have denounced the "unacceptable delay" in rolling out the pandemic pay to certain staff members.

"Today, Monday, September 19, will mark eight months since the Government announced the recognition payment," they stated. 

Yet, to date, workers in private and voluntary nursing homes and other services that supported our most vulnerable during the pandemic have still to receive the payment."

NHI chief executive Tadhg Daly said the latest development from the Department of Health is that a tender process must be entered into for rollout of the payment.

"The scheme was announced by Government in January, we’re approaching the year-end, and now they tell us they need to engage in a tender process," he said.

"It is incredulous that the State, which holds records regarding every individual’s employment and documented the rollout of the vaccination to 40,000 employees within our sector in a short period, cannot establish a mechanism to roll out the payment with minimum fuss.

It is an insult to staff in nursing homes and within services that served on the frontline that the State has procrastinated on this very important matter for people who endured so much for so long during Covid-19.

"Staff in nursing homes feel insulted by the extended and unacceptable delay that has manifested. So much of the goodwill and gratitude that this payment was meant to signify has been eroded amongst these workers that were so valiant during the pandemic.

"It is devaluing on a day-by-day basis too, given inflation since January."

AHCAI chairwoman Clare Doyle said they are very much aware that there are processes involved in the rollout of the payment.

"We have been very patient and understanding," she said.

However, after eight months of the Department of Health and the HSE working on this project, it is unbelievable that they are still unable to implement a practical plan of action to finalise payments. 

"This protracted delay shows disrespect towards the employees and the profession.”