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

I welcome the opening statement, particularly the commitment to prioritise older and frail people as most urgent users of the service, including the emergency departments. The committee supports that approach.

I also want to thank staff in the HSE and funded agencies who participate in the response to unscheduled and emergency care pressures and the challenges in that regard.

The slow uptake of the Covid and flu vaccines was mentioned. Dr. Henry mentioned that one in ten people has immunosuppression issues. What are the categories for people who are immunosuppressed and what is your sense as to why people are not taking the vaccines? I am not specifically referring to immunosuppressed people. Some members of the general public have told me they felt that the two vaccines at the same time produce too many side effects.

If people want to, they can get the flu vaccine and then they can get the Covid vaccine. We have gone from a situation where people were complaining that they wanted to get the vaccines, particularly staff and those who are immunosuppressed and other vulnerable categories. Is the low uptake down to vaccine denial or is it that people now feel the illness is less serious, in particular with the Omicron variant which many people described as just like a heavy cold? After taking three or four Covid vaccines, do some people think that their immune system is strong enough now? Perhaps you could reassure people who are on the fence about taking the vaccines.