Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

It is very important because one has to be sharp when dealing with an infection of this nature. One has to be sharp with regard to donning and doffing the personal protection equipment, PPE, which we know is tiresome. Many nurses and midwives tell us they are exhausted when they finish their shift because it is a different way of working. The list at appendix No. 1 of our submission sets out all the correspondence. We emphasise that this issue has not gone away. A solution needs to be focused on the healthcare worker, the great healthcare worker who has gone right in there and faced this pandemic head on. They now need a solution focused on them to ensure they are not spending more money to come to work to provide the service, which they are happy and very proud to provide. They did get a boost when they were applauded. They felt it was warranted and they felt it was right. They are now saying that the Government has to go further than that because it becomes hypocritical unless the issue we now face is actually resolved, which is the need for assistance with childcare when we want to go to work. We cannot abandon our children and leave them at home. Many healthcare workers felt they were being forced to do this. It is simply not right.