Healthcare unions have held talks with Taoiseach Micheál Martin over the discontinuation of the special leave with pay scheme for healthcare workers suffering from Long Covid.
Up until last December, affected workers received their full salary under the scheme, which had been extended on several occasions, reports RTE.
Following its conclusion, they were transferred to the standard public service sick pay arrangement, which provides three months of full pay followed by three months on half pay, due to end in June.
Approximately 120 healthcare workers are now facing the loss of their regular sick pay, with many expected to rely on illness benefits that unions say are insufficient, reports RTE.
Representatives from several unions, including the INMO, SIPTU, Forsa and the IMO, met with Mr Martin today to address the issue.
“Unions felt the meeting was positive and welcome the commitment to reviewing the application of the Critical Illness Protocol to allow further engagement on the substantive issue,” a spokesperson said, reports RTE.
“Unions are looking forward to further positive engagement with the Taoiseach, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health,”, reports RTE.
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