Mr. David Walsh:

I thank the Deputy. With regard to home help or home support workers, as far as I am concerned it includes HSE direct employees, contracted employees through the various agencies and people working entirely in the private sector. This is about a population vaccination programme and about front-line healthcare workers. It does not matter who their employer is. I am clear on that. It adds significantly to the figures of front-line healthcare workers. The various representative bodies write to me regularly about it.

Carers, by which I mean family carers, are currently not encompassed within that. I know it is a source of unease among that group. Dr. Jessop might respond.