Government Announce New Bank Holiday In March

A new Bank Holiday and a €1,000 pandemic bonus for healthcare workers has been announced.

The extra public holiday will fall on March 18th this year before moving to the first Monday of February from 2023 to mark St Brigids Day.

While frontline health and ambulance workers who were exposed to Covid-19 will be given a €1,000 tax free bonus.

It won't be restricted to clinical staff and will apply to the likes of porters and attendants in hospitals.

Nursing students, defence forces staff seconded to the HSE and private staff in hospices and nursing homes will also qualify for the payment.

Around 100,000 people will benefit at a cost to the state in the region of €100 million.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath says they decided not to expand the payment out to other frontline workers.