Results 4,921-4,940 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: We are going to have to move on so that the other speakers can get in.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I must move on or we will be taking from the time allowed for Deputy McGuinness's colleagues. I just cannot make the extra time. In fact, I will have to get two minutes back from either Deputy Butler or Deputy Foley for the time Deputy Donnelly went over. There is nothing I can do about that.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms Ní Sheaghdha. I would like to bring in Mr. Bell to respond to some questions.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I must bring in Mr. Bell on that.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: The Deputy will recall at the beginning of the committee that we asked people not to be identified.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Like Mr. Bell, I have every confidence in Deputy Carthy's ability.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: We are out of time, but Deputy Whitmore wishes to make a brief point. I have one question relating to the evidence given by Ms Ní Sheaghdha. She stated that her members were required to return to work notwithstanding being close contacts of people. At that time, were they wearing face masks? Did any of them test positive for Covid-19 subsequent to being forced to return to work...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Ms Ní Sheaghdha believes it is possible that some of her members were forced to return to work-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Presumably, the difficulties in this regard resulted from staffing shortages.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms Ní Sheaghdha. We have no further time for this session. We will need to hold another session to deal with the issue of infection of healthcare workers in particular. That is something the committee will have to discuss. We have been given a significant amount of information today, much of which shocked many members. I thank the witnesses for appearing. Deputy Whitmore...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I acknowledge that some of the discussion diverged from that issue. We will have to take account of that. I am conscious that we must vacate the room. I thank the witnesses for providing the information they brought to light today, for answering all of our questions and for remaining with us past the time to which they agreed.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I apologise for not being here earlier. I was dealing with a constituency matter. Turning to constituency issues, many childcare providers in advance of the general election, and certainly in advance of the shutdown, were already speaking about the huge difficulties in staying open because of insurance costs and the administrative burden being shifted onto them, primarily by the Department...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Have childcare providers been offered any additional support to pay for that additional administrative workload? Ms Donohoe's story of staying up all night filling in paperwork is typical of what I have heard from childcare providers whom I met in Clare in January and February.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Are they being increased?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: The reopening grant applies to all businesses in the State that do not have any additional administrative burden.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: To go back to the issue of insurance, do the witnesses know if all insurers are giving an premium extension to cover the period that crèches and childcare facilities were closed?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Some insurers are being decent about it and others are being typically indecent.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed) (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: That is disappointing but maybe it is not surprising.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: Following the question on insurance costs, in the session which preceded this one we heard that some insurance companies are refunding money to crèches which have not been open for the past three months but that others are not. For a crèche which is not open, there is absolutely no insurable interest whatsoever. Given that all of these moneys come from parents and the Exchequer,...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Childcare: Impact of Covid-19 (Resumed). (23 Jun 2020)

Michael McNamara: I greatly welcome that, particularly in view of the fact that we heard from our previous witnesses that there are instances where some insurance companies are not giving refunds or are not extending the time limits on cover. My next question pertains to the administrative burden on small crèches, many of which began operating in people's homes as a form of self-employment. We heard...