The Government kicked to touch in budget week on the issue of a Covid bonus for front-line workers but it cannot keep kicking to touch every week. Did the Taoiseach note The Irish Times/MRBI poll last week which showed 79% support for paying the bonus to public sector front-line workers and majority support for making a payment to private sector front-line workers too? What steps does the Government intend to take to make private sector employers reward their staff? How long is the Government going to make our long-suffering healthcare workers on the front line wait for an answer on this issue?

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Government have engaged in consultations with the social partners - employers and trade unions - in respect of finding the optimal way to provide for front-line healthcare workers in particular and front-line workers in general in the context of Covid-19 and the response to same. Engagement is ongoing on that matter.