Workers still waiting for pandemic bonus payment promised

TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that the Taoiseach must directly intervene to ensure frontline workers receive the pandemic bonus payment that was signed off on by Cabinet 9 months ago.
 
Speaking recently Teachta Crowe said: “During the pandemic, frontline workers went above and beyond as they worked in extremely stressful circumstances to protect all our communities. “They were rightly praised at the time including by the government, but this praise has failed to turn into action. It has now been more than 9 months since the cabinet signed off on a pandemic bonus payment for frontline health staff. Despite this, many workers still have not received this payment that they were promised.
 
“Workers such as caterers, cleaners, security staff, and many more on the frontline in our local hospitals and healthcare settings have been contacting me to express their concern that they are still waiting for this payment. “They are entitled to receive this payment. However, the government has failed to follow through on their promises and workers have been left in the lurch with no answers and no sense of urgency from the government. “Frontline workers have been let down badly by this government’s failure to follow through on their promises.
 
“This is absolutely unacceptable. Sinn Féin’s Health spokesperson David Cullinane has written to the Taoiseach, urging him to intervene directly to ensure this payment is paid promptly. The Taoiseach needs to get a grip on this issue, so that this disrespect to frontline health staff ends. “Sinn Féin would stand up for healthcare workers to ensure that they are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. We are committed to ensuring that workers receive the payment they were promised.”