GPs will not be included in pandemic bonus payment

The bonus was announced yesterday.

GPs will not be included in the new bonus pay being given to frontline healthcare workers which was agreed by Government yesterday. A spokesperson for the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has now revealed to The Irish Times that the €1,000 pandemic bonus will not be paid to GPs despite their contribution during the pandemic. The new bonus was announced on Wednesday as well as a new public holiday to recognise the efforts of the country during the Covid-19, with the Government adding it should be a day to remember those we've lost during the pandemic. Set to take place on March 18th this year, it is a once off holiday and will be followed by a day of remembrance and recognition. A permanent public holiday is set to be established next year and is expected to be some time around St Brigid's Day. While no exact list of those included in the pay has been published, there are calls for home carers, pharmacy workers, frontline staff in private hospitals to be included in the scheme. According to Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, “roughly 100,000 healthcare workers” are expected to get the bonus. Opposition parties are now pushing for the scheme to be extended to other workers as well as workers representatives calling on the Government for more clarity on the scheme.