Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of observations and questions in the two or three minutes we have left. We all have a very strong interest in this issues from our own family perspectives and the well-being of children generally. On the well-being of children generally, in advance of this debate I spoke with a number of clinical psychotherapists specialising in children and early years. Their view was that for children who do not have other social vulnerabilities beyond the Covid-19 period, those aged under seven, and in particular under five, are taking most of their social cues from parents and siblings and unless they have additional vulnerabilities, while acknowledging that there may be some emotional or developmental regression, the transition back will be part of their development and something should we expect to be generally okay. I would like to get the perspective of the witnesses on that.