Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. It is good to continue the conversation. In addition to the early years forum briefing and consultation I had last night, I met many of the Opposition spokespeople a few days ago and answered their questions. It is good to meet Deputy Costello again.

Why did 764 providers not sign up to the scheme? We are continuing to discuss that with the various representative bodies. I agree with the Deputy that we need carry out that analysis. We are today publishing some new frequently asked questions which might assist. There may be issues in getting workers who originally went onto the pandemic unemployment payment to move to the wage subsidy scheme. As I indicated earlier, we tried to create the best possible supports in the wage subsidy scheme so that people would come back to the industry. We are attentive to the issue and the Deputy is right to continue asking those questions.

I indicated that the first phase of opening will be childcare for healthcare workers and perhaps some providers will come back for that. That may be more attractive to the workers when we are able to release the details of what that actually means. I indicated in my opening remarks that we are suggesting an average rate per hour.

The Deputy asked about the distinction between essential workers and healthcare workers. I am using that language because it is the language of the roadmap and what NPHET has recommended. The recommendation is that we begin with providing services to healthcare workers and then move on to the other essential workers, to the extent that we can attract the workers to provide that childcare.

As indicated, many of them want to answer that call. That is the reason for the difference in the use of language.

The Deputy made a point about when we start to reopen in that third phase. In the childcare sector, we hope that we will have more of the essential workers, which is a wider group than the healthcare essential workers. What children have priority in terms of coming in? My view, which I have already shared with the Department, and it agrees, is to find a way in which we can begin to recommend those children who are most vulnerable, who have additional needs and who have not had the kinds of supports that other children have had during the pandemic because of their particular backgrounds, circumstances or whatever. I agree with that but those are things that have to be decided in the planning as we move forward. As I have indicated, we are engaging with the sector in order to do that and are preparing that. I expect that the Deputies will be part of what happens in this regard.

I wrote down the word "emergency" when the Deputy asked his final question. What was-----

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