I appreciate the Taoiseach's intervention.

I expect sanctions to be imposed on Saudi Arabia and the apartheid State of Israel promptly following that announcement. I will not hold my breath on that, obviously.

I again ask about the €1,000 that was promised to healthcare workers. The applause given to those healthcare workers for the work they did during the Covid pandemic - and are still doing - rings hollow now when the Government still has not paid these healthcare workers the €1,000 promised. Community swabbers have contacted us and I asked questions about that. It seems that community swabbers may not be getting this payment. There have been suggestions that phlebotomy nurses will probably not get the €1,000. The Government seems to be penny-pinching and that is why these negotiations are dragging on.

The Government is looking for reasons to exclude healthcare workers, every one of whom deserves as an absolute minimum the €1,000 payment that was promised. Why has the Government not paid it and why is it trying to exclude healthcare workers from benefiting from this payment?

First, my understanding is that the HSE and the Department are in ongoing consultation with the health sector trade unions to finalise the application of this measure. It is intended that the payments process will be instructed to commence this week. The Government has committed very significant resources. The Government wants to do this. We are not holding back at all. I will engage again with the Minister and the HSE in this regard. It is €1,000 and it will not be subject to income tax, USC or PRSI. The announcement also made provision for a pro rata application of the payment. It will be extended to those equivalent healthcare workers in private nursing homes and hospices, who also experienced very severe outbreaks and burdens during the pandemic which staff have had to manage.

No answer, in other words.