The Government is examining introducing a bank holiday between now and the end of the year as part of a pandemic bonus.
Plans are at an advanced stage to have a day to recognise the contribution of frontline workers and to remember those who died from Covid.
A date has not yet been decided, but it could be in November or between Christmas and year end.
The bank holiday would be a means of recognising everyone's contribution during the pandemic.
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This includes all categories of frontline workers, with ministers stressing in recent days that any bonus would have to be non-divisive.
Other measures for frontline workers are still being considered, including extra leave or payments.
It is understood that any measures would come out of this year's spending rather than Budget 2022.
Today, the organisation representing garda sergeants and inspectors called for a form of pandemic bonus, but AGSI General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham said they were not being prescriptive.
Healthcare unions have lodged a claim for special recognition.
The NBRU has also lodged a claim for bus and rail workers.
Neil McDonnell said it must not happen because we have just come through a pandemic.
Ireland currently has nine bank holidays a year, one of the lowest numbers in Europe.
