The Pandemic Special Recognition Payment has been approved for a group of cleaning contractors, a local senator has said.
Senator Aisling Dolan, who recently highlighted that cleaners and caterers in hospitals were left waiting a year and a half for their payment, said she was delighted to confirm the long-awaited payments are now being issued.
“I received confirmation from Kosi Corporation that payments have been approved for over 1,100 Noonan contract cleaners last week,” said the Fine Gael senator.
“I understand that payments for other contract agencies such as Aramark will soon also be processed and that a bulk of payments should be approved within the next week.”
She said that it may take agency contractors a week or so to issue payments through their own accounts sections, and that she would hope to see this payment in people’s bank accounts within the next couple of weeks.
“This is so overdue for people working as contractors in our hospitals. The Government made a decision in January 2022 to acknowledge the incredible work by healthcare staff during the Covid pandemic and the service given in a crisis to help keep people safe.
“These employees went to work every day with patients who were very ill with Covid-19 and faced more risk for themselves and especially vulnerable family members when they came home.”
