Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

We have and we have made a submission to the Department of Health and through freedom of information we see that it was considered but not agreed to in its internal correspondence. Essentially, we said that healthcare workers will do their best, they will change their rosters and they will minimise the requirement on the State, as they have been doing. However, there will be a residual cost that the State must look to cover. Healthcare workers went to work when most other citizens were asked to cocoon and stay at home. Healthcare workers were singled out as being essential, for the right reasons. It is not at all appropriate that they faced a cost in addition to that. They demonstrated bravery throughout this. They did not flinch. They should not have had to pay for that as well as being that brave.