Dr. Ronan Glynn:

The experience over the past year has been that our elected representatives at local and national levels have had an important role to play, be that in Kildare, Laois and Offaly or anywhere else in the country where challenges have been met. It has been important that our elected representatives have played a key role in communicating what have been difficult messages. All representatives will have an important role to play over the coming months. I do not have the details, but my understanding is that the vast majority of representatives stated that they would take the vaccine. It is important that we focus on what the majority is intending to do, that being, take the vaccine. There will always be a small proportion of people in every sector of society who refuse to take a vaccine like this regardless of what information is available on it. In contrast, the majority of people will have understandable questions. They will want those questions answered and their uncertainties addressed. The job for us is to ensure that happens over the coming months.