Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. This committee is producing a report on Covid-19 in nursing homes, which will be circulated to members, and we will discuss it in a Microsoft Teams meeting on Thursday. If the witnesses want to make additional contributions on that matter, now is absolutely the time to do so.

I will ask the witnesses a few questions of my own. I return to the issue of preventing people from getting the flu. There is a contradiction in being able to present for work and the risk of Covid-19. What are the witnesses' views on making the flu vaccine mandatory? Ms Ní Sheaghdha talked about promoting it and she said she thought the real figure was higher than the stated 37%. In what circumstances would a healthcare worker not wish to have the flu vaccine? Is there something that is preventing people from getting it?

Is there something we are not aware of that would make it difficult to make it essential, if not mandatory, which has a different regulatory implication?