I have had a couple of adversarial exchanges with the Taoiseach in this House, but I will be the first person to applaud him if he intervenes in the situation facing healthcare workers with long Covid. He met a group of these workers last June. He knows that their case is genuine and that they have suffered terribly not just with their symptoms but also with being on a financial cliff edge every six or 12 months as their special Covid leave with pay was due to end. Their circumstances are extremely difficult. They are about to transition onto half of their basic salary on the standard sick leave scheme, and they are facing not being able to pay their mortgages soon. Providing these workers, who sacrificed so much on all of our behalf, with financial security would be a minimal cost to the State but would make a profound difference to their lives and to their peace of mind. The group that met the Taoiseach last June urgently needs to meet him again. I know the Taoiseach has been extremely busy recently, but I implore him to make time for that soon.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is a very difficult and challenging issue, primarily for those who got long Covid, and they did incredible work in the healthcare service during Covid-19. I met them last June and that resulted in the extension to last December. As the Deputy knows, there was then the Labour Court recommendation. It recommended a final extension and that got expanded. They are now in the public service sick leave scheme and the Deputy has indicated that the full payment will come to an end. I will talk to my colleagues again to see what can be done in endeavouring to support them given the circumstances around their particular case. I will come back to the Deputy on it.