The full value of the Pandemic Special Recognition Payments was a €1,000 tax-free payment to eligible frontline staff who worked in a Covid-19-exposed healthcare environment between March 2020 and June 2021.

The Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (Nicon), the membership body representing the leaders of organisations in the sector, has made its submission to the public consultation over the spending plans.

The Government is being urged to act on the pay demands of Section 39 workers