Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important, and I join with colleagues, to acknowledge the work of all of our front-line staff in our hospitals, nursing homes and all congregated settings. The past ten or eleven months have been a huge challenge for all of them. The commitment of each and every one of them has been tremendous during that time. It is also important to talk about the people who are not assisting the present scenario. For instance, over Christmas, a friend of mine contacted me. He had been contacted by someone who had tested positive, who was more or less boasting about the fact that they had to contact 52 people to tell them that they were at risk. I do not believe that that person clearly understood the challenges that our front-line workers have to face because of this pandemic. I am talking in particular about those working in ICUs. They are burnt out from the workload they have had to deal with and the care that they have to provide. It is a huge commitment, yet there are people who do not want to appear to acknowledge that. Everyone has a part to play in dealing with this pandemic, no matter what their role or job is. We all have a part to play and we need to put out a much stronger message about the responsibility that each and every one of us has in this matter.

My colleagues have referred to the current Covid figures, namely, 1,750 now in hospital with Covid and 158 in ICU. I am sure that in another half hour, the figures will be worse. Our health service is facing a real challenge over the next three weeks. We all need to put our shoulders to the wheel, therefore, to help those who are dealing with this healthcare pandemic.

It is important to highlight one of the more positive aspects. The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork opened a special vaccine clinic last weekend. The clinic opened at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and over the weekend, 1,200 people received vaccinations. This included hospital staff, paramedics and those working for the National Ambulance Service, GPs, GP support staff and public health nurses. This work was done by people who volunteered to give their weekend to provide this service. It is a clear indication that there are people who want to make a positive contribution. The important issue now is about making sure that the vaccine is available.

I spoke to the head of the Nursing Homes Ireland earlier and he advised me that there has been a 90% take-up of the vaccine in nursing homes. We face a major challenge in this area because there are more than 70,000 people in nursing homes and congregated settings. I very much welcome the fact that the target date for reaching all of those people has been brought forward. It is important that we try to fast track every effort to get the vaccine out there. There is one group that I am particularly concerned about, namely, those who provide home care throughout the country. They call to four, five or six houses every day. These home helps and carers must be vaccinated at an early stage, because they are calling on vulnerable people. Many of them are living alone and have no other contact with people. Some of them may have two or three different home helps calling to them every day. Home helps and home carers, therefore, must be prioritised in the roll-out of the vaccination programme.

Those providing any kind of home care for the elderly must also be given priority. That is where GPs can play a significant part in making the vaccine available. I have another concern. In some areas of the country, for example, Cork and Kerry, many GPs have been able to avail of the vaccine. It has been made available in the hospitals, such as the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and the Kerry University Hospital, but in other parts of the country, GPs have not been able to access it. All front-line healthcare workers must be given priority and must have access to the vaccine at the earliest possible date, because they are the people we will be relying on to give the vaccine.

I understand that 46,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are coming into the country every week. It is not clear what volume of the Moderna vaccine will be coming in each week. The Minister might clarify that. Colleagues referred to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which it is hoped will be approved by the end of January. Again, we need to ensure we can get that vaccine in at the earliest possible date. We can deal with this pandemic. We can deal with it by each and every one of us making a contribution in following the guidelines that are in place. As public representatives, we need to get out the message that we can come out at the other end of this pandemic in a positive light but we cannot afford to take any risks from now on. I ask the Minister to increase the amount of information available to the public and the amount given to us, as public representatives. In many cases, we are getting more information on Twitter and Facebook and in the media than is being forwarded to us by the Department. That is regrettable.

We can help to give a positive message but we need the information. We can deliver the message about the numbers of people who can get vaccinated and that it can be done at an early date. In the meantime, we all have a part to play in making sure that people follow the guidelines and that each one us, as individuals, do not put anyone else at risk by our behaviour. I acknowledge and thank our healthcare staff for their work and also the people in Departments who are assisting them in their efforts. We have a short period in which, we hope, we can make sure that the smallest possible number of people are infected over the coming weeks and months and the fewest possible die as a result of this pandemic.

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