Ms Susan Clyne:

The IMO would fully support NPHET and its recommendations. If two metres is recommended by NPHET, we want to operate our health services in the safest way possible. It is not a place to take additional risks to sort out the infection in our health services. The two metre rule is in place at the moment and we would fully support that.

It is not a question of two metres or one metres in the health services because given the lack of capacity and the growing waiting lists, we need much more fundamental investment in temporary builds, staff coming on board and staff getting engaged with management and plans. Consultants, nurses and management in every hospital are looking at this and they are all very worried about how we continue to provide essential services to patients with so little capacity.