Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha:

From the INMO's perspective, we have a policy of promoting the uptake of the vaccine. We have a clear policy on that. The previous Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, sought legal advice, I understand, on the status of a mandatory flu vaccination and we await the publication of that advice because we have not seen it. My understanding is that there is some difficulty with the introduction of mandatory vaccinations and that the legal advice obtained by the Minister set that out. We have not seen it but we have a strong policy of promoting the uptake of flu vaccination. As I said, it is not only that but we have also agreed with the HSE a programme of peer vaccination, which sees our members providing vaccinations to their colleagues in their workplace to ensure the uptake is increased. Dr. Kevin Kelleher has confirmed to us that this approach improved the uptake significantly last year.