This morning the Cabinet agreed to make March 18th an extra Bank Holiday in 2022. The additional public holiday this year will be a commemorative event to remember those who have lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As well as this there will be a new annual public holiday at the start of February from 2023 onwards to mark St Brigid's Day.
Ministers also approved a once off, tax free €1,000 bonus for frontline healthcare workers who were in Covid exposed clinical settings. This bonus will include healthcare workers in nursing homes and hospices.
The overall package accepted by Cabinet today is to thank the general public for their efforts since March 2020 and to recognise the work from Ireland's frontline workers.
