David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have one quick point relating to next week's meeting regarding vaccines. I know we will have the chairperson of the expert panel in, and that is important. However, I believe we also need to hear from the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, because that committee is responsible for the provisional vaccination allocation groups that were published. I wish to put that committee on notice of one issue to which it might be able to respond. Some lobbies have come in. There is reference to prioritisation for those aged 18 to 64 years with medical conditions which put them at high risk of severe disease. However, there are children in the same circumstances and they are at the bottom of the priority list. There may be a rationale behind that, but at the same time it raises a question. If a person is between 18 and 64 years and has a medical condition that puts the person at high risk of severe disease, that is provided for, but what about children? It is important that NIAC representatives are invited. Maybe we can get clarification on whether they were invited.