Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. She made a valid case that must be listened to. The task force report on the deployment and administration of the vaccine is expected to be completed tomorrow and it will go to the Cabinet on Tuesday.

Last Tuesday, the Cabinet approved the prioritisation of the vaccine, including which groups will receive it first and last. That was based on advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, and the national immunisation advisory committee. It is based on medical and scientific advice and we did not make any modifications to it. We accepted it as it was presented to us, starting with the highest-risk group, which we all accept that comprises people aged over 65 in nursing homes, before moving to healthcare workers in direct contact with patients. We all know the reasons for that. It then moves to other groups.

This is not set in stone and can evolve as new information emerges and we learn more about the virus and vaccines. As more vaccines are approved, the list may need to be modified. We expect one vaccine from Pfizer BioNTech to be approved within weeks but, within months, six could be approved and they will not be same. They will have different characteristics and profiles, and we may need to modify the advice in respect of that.

There are two reasons the last group comprises people under 18 and pregnant women. The number of people under 18 or pregnant women who have become very sick or died as a result of this virus is very low and such people are in the safest group in that sense. There is also the obvious reason that not many children or pregnant women have been involved in the clinical trials. People engage in clinical trials voluntarily and not many people would offer a well child or themselves if they are pregnant unless there was a particular reason to participate. It is not that we think it is unsafe at all for children or pregnant women; it is just that it is not often that children and pregnant women are involved in trials for a new vaccine or medicine.

The Deputy's case that older teenagers with an underlying medical disease may be a high-risk group is valid and should be considered. I will certainly take it up with the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, the next time I see him, which will probably be next week.

See this speech in context