Ms Bernie McNally:

I respect what the Deputy is saying, but this scheme had worked elsewhere. There was an initiative elsewhere in the country that had matched 1,400 childcare workers to the homes of front-line workers. We had seen that and we had spoken directly to the people running that service. It had worked. In fact, we also had representations saying that in the best interests of children and to protect them and, indeed, the staff from Covid-19 it was the single best way of ensuring that we did not spread infection. Certainly, that was in our minds and in the minds of those in NPHET, the Department of Health and other colleagues who were working on this. It might have worked had other issues been addressed.