Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome all our witnesses today and thank them for all their hard work at this extremely challenging and stressful time.

I welcome that the HSE, along with other agencies and bodies, has created a strategy to promote accurate information around vaccinations nationwide. However, I am concerned and I believe we cannot ignore the fact that there is a need for a public health strategy in marginalised communities. We all know that marginalised communities can be bombarded with false information and scaremongering when it comes to vaccines. It is important that we develop a clear pathway to positive factual information and access to the vaccine.

I imagine the witnesses are aware of Safetynet, which is a primary care facility for marginalised people in society who do not have access to healthcare. They have reconfigured to respond specifically to the coronavirus pandemic. The facility has created a mobile health unit. Those involved have built strong relations with the homeless, migrant and Traveller communities in recent years. The services they offer are more important than ever now.

We know poor health rates are high in marginalised communities. We need to come up with a good proactive strategy to combat this with the help, hopefully, of Safetynet and more mobile health sites. Can we plan to strategise with Safetynet in the coming weeks to promote access to information on these vaccines within these communities? What are the thoughts of the witnesses on that? I believe those involved provide an important service. I have one more question after the response, if that is okay.