Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I do. I wish to make a few brief points. It is my understanding - I am open to correction - that many of the child and adult mental health service, CAMHS, personnel have been vaccinated yet they are not offering any programme to the special needs children who are at home.

There is a whole other debate to be had about how their teachers are engaging with them online. Many CAMHS personnel have been vaccinated, but from what I can see, CAMHS is not out delivering a service. The HSE needs to consider this matter. It is frustrating for mental health staff and GPs to see others passing them out on the ladder. It is also frustrating for teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs, to see HSE personnel who ordinarily engage directly with children daily not engaging with those children anymore but nonetheless being vaccinated.

I hope that Professor MacCraith can consider having ambassadorial roles for people. In County Clare, Mr. Anthony Daly, our famous hurler, has an ambassadorial role with Covid response teams. It would instil great confidence in the nation and reassure the public that this process was safe if, as they were vaccinated, people like Ms Katie Taylor, Mr. Brian O'Driscoll and others with a high profile were used in an ambassadorial role. There is also an onus on Members of Dáil Éireann to do so. It is okay to have concerns, but it is not okay for a small number of Deputies to spread false truths. There is a great deal of fake news still circulating. This issue needs to be addressed.