An Ulster Unionist Councillor has dismissed claims medical staff are unhappy with the £500 pandemic payment agreed by the Minister for Health, against ongoing NHS salary disputes, contending discontent only appears to exist in areas represented by members who raised the issue.

At last month’s Fermanagh and Omagh District Council meeting, Democratic Unionist Councillor Deborah Erskine tabled a successful motion calling for a £500 ‘thank-you’ payment to be made to NHS staff, as a mark of appreciation for their heroic actions during the pandemic.

Within days of this, Minister for Health Robin Swann MLA announced his intention to not only approve this, but expand it to a wider range of eligibility.

At the most recent meeting, Councillor Robert Irvine, Ulster Unionist welcomed the Minister’s move, noting: “There was worthwhile debate on the sentiments from the motion. Subsequent to that, the Minister has actually moved with regard to payment to staff but has widened the breadth and reach. The Minister is to be commended, not only in doing that but also to commend the people who are going to avail of it for the service they have provided.”

This was echoed by Councillor Erskine who said: “It is wonderful to see the Minister moving forward and certainly the workers who will receive this payment are duly deserving. I’m delighted to see, in particular, student nurses and others on placements will also receive a payment. I know from speaking to some that was a real cause of concern. They have worked the same hours as well.”

Independent Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh described the move as positive for NHS workers however: “Aside from the entirely fortuitous coincidence that the motion identified precisely the same sum given to NHS staff across the UK, there is no movement on the main issue of the fundamental pay demand. It is really huge by comparison to what is being offered. Many NHS workers almost consider this to be an insult and a way of avoiding provision of the sort of pay increase  actually needed to address the crisis of chronic staffing problems. There are reports are of some staff working 24 hour shifts on our wards. That’s the nature of the crisis and it’s not being addressed.”

Elements of this were dismissed by Councillor Victor Warrington, Ulster Unionist who responded: “I’m sure we would all like to see nursing staff, doctors or whoever get additional pay. But the Minister has been working quite hard looking at this. As much as Councillor O’Cofaigh would like to see a tree that produces money at the back of the town hall, unfortunately it doesn’t exist. There is no doubt as we ease, hopefully out of this pandemic in the coming months this will all be looked at again. We need to get out of this pandemic.”

He continued: “I think the £500 and £2,000 offered to students is excellent. Councillor O’Cofaigh seems to be speaking to these workers yet I certainly haven’t spoken to any of them. I’m very, very good friends with a nurse and I haven’t had any complaints from any medical staff on this payment. They (complainers) always seem to come out in Councillor O’Cofaigh’s part of the world.”

Independent Councillor Emmet McAleer advised he too had been contacted by a NHS employees who view the payment as: “Derisory.”

He pointed out: “I take exception to Councillor Warrington referencing this magic money tree. We are aware in the last week up on £300 million was mooted to be returned to the Treasury by our own Stormont Executive. There’s no denying there are funds available when government wants to produce them. It’s quite insulting to frontline staff members who have described being through something like a warzone. It’s not good enough to be so dismissive of them.”