Dr. Ronan Glynn:

Absolutely, and I thank the Chairman for acknowledging it. What I would say is that of course health is my priority but I also fully recognise that public health and our public health system are absolutely contingent on a functioning economy. If the economy is unduly affected by this, it will affect our health system.

That does come into our considerations. That is precisely why, for example, we moved so quickly on Kildare, Laois and Offaly. It is why I am so concerned about cases at the moment. We do not have magic bullets for this disease and we are entirely reliant on solidarity, co-operation and individual and collective behaviours to keep it under control. Otherwise we will not have a choice but to go backwards with stronger measures.

I am the last person who wants to have to recommend measures that will have a further impact on the economy and people's lives, which is why I am asking all parts of society today please to double down again on their behaviours and messages to their families, members of their organisations and anyone they come into contact with. Let us all be upfront about our role in this and ask our friends and families to do their bit. It is only by all of us together being vocal and honest and saying that people have to wash their hands and do the right thing that we will keep this under control. If we do not do that, it will, unfortunately, have impacts for the economy whether we like it or not.