Taoiseach Micheal Martin has given a timeline for the Covid bonus due to be paid to healthcare workers to applaud their frontline work during the pandemic.
Speaking live on Galway Bay FM on Thursday morning, Micheal Martin was quizzed on a number of issues such as the payment and the ongoing turf war over legislation being put forward by Eamon Ryan.
The Fianna Fail leader did confirm that the €1,000 healthcare bonus - a one-off payment promised in January - would be paid "in the next few weeks" to every healthcare worker including student nurses.
He said: “Yes [the healthcare workers] will get that. I spoke with the Minister of Health this week to expedite that payment.
“The money has been provided by Minister Michael Mcgrath to HSE and we are very keen that it will be done as soon as possible, in the next few weeks.”
The Taoiseach also commented on the plans to ban the sale of turf which has left many rural Ireland residents concerned.
He added: “It is not intended to prevent people with their own bogs or to share their turf with their neighbours, they will not be affected by this.
“There will be further discussion between the parties in the government to resolve this issue.
"Like many other issues there are different perspectives, we are endeavouring to get this one resolved in a practical and common sense way.”
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