Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for appearing before the committee and for their submissions. The general secretary of the INMO, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, participated in this morning's session. She cited social stigma towards healthcare workers as a major problem with childcare providers being reluctant in accepting children in their care. She quoted one respondent of an internal survey as stating that childcare providers are less willing to take nurses' children because of their perception of a higher risk of transmission from healthcare workers and the initial stance of the Government to portray children as super spreaders. Has this issue been raised with any of the witnesses? I was quite surprised to hear it this morning.