The families of healthcare workers who died from Covid-19 are set to receive a payment of €100,000 from the State, under plans going to Cabinet today. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will seek approval for a scheme that will cover a small number of healthcare workers who contracted the virus in the workplace, according to a report in The Irish Times. It is believed that the families or estates of more than 20 workers will benefit from the payment, with 21 deaths related to the disease among healthcare workers according to figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre. These include HSE staff, locum, agency and contract workers, those in private nursing homes and cleaning staff. It is understood the tax-free payment will be paid on a flat rate and on an ex-gratia basis, unrelated to the salary of the person who died.

Recognition payment

It comes after the Government earlier this year approved a €1,000 tax-free payment for certain frontline health workers in recognition of their work during the pandemic. Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show this morning, Mr Donnelly said the €1,000 payment for frontline staff will not impact on other payments and was a simple measure “to do the right thing.” Various details remained to be confirmed, he said, such as the payment being pro-rata for those who had not worked a full year. If someone had to step back from work because they contracted Covid-19, that would also have to be looked at, he said. It was not just those who worked in the HSE, it was people who worked in private hospitals and nursing homes. -Additional reporting by Vivienne Clarke.