Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today's witnesses will provide us with an update on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccination. I welcome from the high-level task force on Covid-19 vaccination, Professor Brian MacCraith, chair; from the Department of Health, Mr. Fergal Goodman, assistant secretary, health protection division, and Ms. Elizabeth Headon, vaccine communications co-ordination; and from the HSE, Mr. David Walsh, work stream lead of the vaccination process and workforce, Dr. Lucy Jessop, director of public health in the national immunisation office, and Mr. Fran Thompson, chief information officer.

Before we hear the opening statements, I point out to the witnesses that there is uncertainty as to whether parliamentary privilege applies to evidence given from a location outside the parliamentary precincts of Leinster House. Therefore, if witnesses are directed by me to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter, they must respect that direction.

Whatever the difficulties of rolling out the vaccine in Ireland, we should be mindful of the situation in the rest of the world, which the head of the WHO has said is on the brink of catastrophe. There are also concerns over what the German medical authorities have said about one of the vaccines. It is important for us to meet today and put some questions to the witnesses.

I call Professor MacCraith to make his opening remarks.