Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to use my time in a question and answer format with the Minister. First, it is good to see that Ireland was top of the league table in terms of the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines in recent days. We may be at the lowest ebb of Covid-19 at the moment. We were in a huge battle. We have seen ICUs and the pressure our whole country is under, but there is also huge cause for hope. I thank the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, and his staff, who are helping to keep that supply chain of vaccines open to us.

I have a few questions. I mention mental health staff in the mid-west, particularly in County Clare. The mental health staff and mental health nurses who leave their base hub each morning and go around the community and into people’s homes have not yet had Covid-19 vaccines. The vaccine seems to have bypassed them in some ways and administrative staff, who have the benefit of a Perspex screen giving them protection, have had the vaccine. Those who are on the front line going into people's homes have not, however. I have also been corresponding with Professor Colette Cowan of the UL Hospitals Group on this. I know it has autonomy on how it disperses the vaccine but this step of the ladder cannot be missed. It is front line and it is essential.

The next issue I wish to raise is that of GPs in County Clare. Again, many of them are being told it could be mid- to late February by the time they receive a vaccination. They are absolutely front and centre on the front line. They are meeting patients every day and putting themselves at high Covid risk. There was an error with the online registration system. Many of them tried to get online and book in for vaccination. That system was not working, however, and there were some problems with HSE IT unit. It has left them floundering and now waiting a couple of weeks behind where they would like to be. I hope the Minister and his Department can intervene in some way. There were write-ups in the newspaper last week about Deputies fighting for constituents. I will be unapologetic in this Chamber in ensuring those who are on the front line in my constituency get their vaccine, that all-important gold dust jab into their arm, to protect them from Covid-19.

The last thing I wish to say is about the community, both in Clare and nationwide, who suffer profoundly from cystic fibrosis. It is such a debilitating disease at the best of times each winter in Ireland because our climate is extremely tough for them. Now, on top of this they must grapple with Covid-19. They are extremely high risk. As I understand, at the moment they are in category 7 of the 15 categories of prioritisation. I hope that can be looked at in terms of bumping them up a bit. I would appreciate if the Minister could respond to some of those queries I put to him.

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