Dr. Fergal Lynch:

That is a very important question. We are working now and will be over the next number of weeks on the funding model from 24 August onwards. We are very conscious that providers want clarity and want to know, as quickly as possible, what that funding model is going to look like. We cannot say with absolute certainty what each component of it will include but we will certainly consult them. We will provide the full funding model as quickly as we can.

On the components, it would certainly be our hope that ECCE would resume in the normal way from 24 August. Obviously, that is down to an approval from the Government for a complete package which would include ECCE. It would also include what we have already announced, capital grants and reopening grants, which will apply to services that are opening in September as well. It is important to stress that the capital grants available for services opening in July and August will be available to services in September as well, as will the reopening grants. Our hope is that the ECCE component will be available as well. We need, however, to work out the whole scheme before finalising that. We are very conscious that providers want to know as soon as possible what that will be.