Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I have another more specific question relating to huge numbers of workers who have been forced to stay at home to mind children in the course of this crisis. It seems that for many workers this will continue to be the case for months to come. Does the Minister agree that parents must not suffer as a result of this, that those who need to stay at home to mind their children, and for whom that is the reason for staying at home, should be given leave on full pay with no detriment to them when they return to work, and those who have already been forced to take annual leave should have that annual leave returned to them if they were forced to take it in the context of the coronavirus crisis and having to mind children?

I will ask my other question as I may not get time later. I welcome the fact that it is hoped these childcare workers engaged in this scheme for front-line healthcare workers will get €15 per hour. If this is the case for those childcare workers, and it very definitely should be the case for them, should it not also be the case that all childcare workers at a minimum going forward should be on €15 per hour?

See this speech in context