David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not know what value the HSE puts on the work of Dr. Lambert or anybody else, but Dr. Lambert seems to be a specialist in this area. He seems to have expertise. If I were in Dr. Ní Bhriain's position, he would be somebody I would want to listen to and engage with. There has been no shift or change in the model of care since September 2021 while the international research is evolving all the time. It is evolving by the week, let alone how it has evolved since September 2021. That is not good.

I wish to ask about immunocompromised patients, who are a very important cohort of people who have been largely forgotten. I spoke to a blood cancer patient yesterday who said that she remains in the same situation we all entered when we went into lockdown in March 2020. That is still her life at this time. Many of those who contracted Covid also have long Covid. I know there are issues around the Evusheld antibody drug. What additional supports or plans are in place for patients who are immunocompromised? What access is available to those antiviral and antibody medications such as Evusheld? As Senator Conway said earlier, France and other countries seem to be well ahead of us and we seem to be well behind the curve. Why is that the case?