Workers in Kilkenny still waiting for pandemic bonus payment

A Kilkenny TD has said that the Taoiseach must directly intervene to ensure frontline workers receive the pandemic bonus payment that was signed off on by cabinet nine months ago.

Speaking today, Teachta Kathleen Funchion said:

“I raised this issue some time ago and still I am being contacted by frontline workers who are stretched to the pin of their collar with the ever increasing cost of living. Not a day passes without my office being contacted by someone who has not received their payment yet.  

“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 here in Kilkenny such as caterers, cleaners, security staff, agency 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 in Kilkenny 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 this week, 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 in government would stand up for healthcare workers to ensure that they are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. We are committed to ensuring that workers in Kilkenny receive the payment they were promised.”