Mr. Paul Bell:

On the HSE and the Department of Health, it needs to be made clear that both of those organisations never saw childcare as being within their control or as being their responsibility. As we understand it, their conversations were taking place with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Our submission makes it quite clear that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform wanted uniformity. It did not respond to the special needs of health workers who are working predominantly unsocial hours. This is a seven day a week operation. SIPTU and our members hold the Department responsible for basically winding down the clock. In other words, the Department held the attitude that this issue would disappear by the end of the emergency and it would not have to be dealt with. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs only engaged with us and with the group of unions in recent weeks, and there is a further engagement due to take place today. No succour was offered to our members about how any of these issues will be addressed, including the issue of the funding of childcare.