David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to again raise an issue I raised yesterday. I propose that the committee be given a briefing on the issue of vaccines. Two issues arise. One is the matter of vaccines for Covid. We will receive part of whatever number of vaccines the European Commission procures but it is important the committee is briefed on how that is going to work and how many doses we expect to get this year, if any, and next year. I would like a briefing on that.

We might put some questions to the HSE today with regard to my second point, which is that there have been some concerns and issues with regard to the flu vaccine. I do not believe for a second that any doses of any vaccines are missing. That is not the case. There is a difference between the number distributed and the number administered. There is concern as to who is getting these doses and whether the vulnerable are being protected. We need to get a handle on that. The problem with these meetings is that members only have ten minutes in which to raise many issues. We cannot raise everything when either the Minister or the HSE is before us. It would be worthwhile for the committee to hold a session on the issue of vaccines which would include the Covid vaccines, the flu vaccine and the pneumonia vaccine, of which there appears to be a shortage.

The uptake of the flu vaccine this year has been unreal. It is massive and well above what it was last year. While there has been a 20% increase in the number of doses, there is still not enough to satisfy the demand. For that reason, it would be worthwhile for us to have such a briefing. I imagine Dr. Colm Henry would be involved, as would the relevant officials involved in the procurement side. It would be worthwhile to arrange such a meeting as soon as possible. We said that such an event would be a separate session and a briefing rather than a full meeting.