I have a constituent who worked in a healthcare setting during Covid, meeting patients face to face and taking care of them while others stayed at home. This was until she got Covid in January 2021 following an outbreak in her workplace. She ended up in hospital with clots on her lung and pneumonia. This lady is now 52 and she has not been able to work since 2021. There are many days when she cannot even leave the house. It is important that long Covid for healthcare staff who worked in our healthcare system during Covid is recognised as a critical illness. There are currently 159 healthcare staff who received the special leave pay until it ceased on 31 December last. On the public service sick leave scheme, this healthcare worker is experiencing a 71% drop in her net income per month. This is not right. Will something be done to correct this very unfair situation?

I acknowledge the contribution so many members of our health system made during Covid. The special scheme for long Covid which was established in July 2022 and extended on a number of occasions. As the Deputy knows, this entered into a Labour Court process which the Government accepted at the time. Following several extensions, the final extension in June last year meant the scheme concluded on 31 December 2025. It does not mean supports will end. Staff who remain unfit to work will move into the public service sick leave scheme. That provides for payment of 92 calendar days on full pay in a rolling one-year period followed by 91 calendar days on half pay. There is significant protection through the public service sick leave scheme. The Government accepted the recommendation of the Labour Court.