PBP’s Kenny slams HSE for slow payment of Covid bonus to frontline workers

Reacting to the continued delay in the payment of the €1000 Covid bonus for frontline healthcare workers, People Before Profit TD, and health spokesperson, Gino Kenny, said the fact that many workers had still to receive the payment spoke of a wider culture in the HSE and the Department of Health which “treated frontline workers with open contempt and disdain.”

The Oireachtas Health Committee member said he has written to Minister Donnelly seeking current figures but had been contacted by many workers, especially those working in private nursing homes, who have not received the payment to date.

The bonus was originally agreed in April.

The TD said: “Taken together with the scandalous treatment and delayed payment of Junior Hospital Doctors, the inability of the State to pay a small award to frontline workers speaks volumes. It can’t simply be a technical issue but suggests a wider and pervasive disregard for frontline workers.”

Deputy Kenny called on the Minister and HSE to ensure all workers due the payment received it in the coming weeks.