Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy very much for the questions. Yes, those in the formal carer sector are included as front-line healthcare workers.

For example, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, spoke about this exact group of people being vaccinated in Waterford. They are included. The clinical guidance on this is that those in the formal sector are included as front-line healthcare workers. With regard to dialysis, a similar question is being raised, very understandably, by other Deputies, and it is coming to me and, I am sure, to all colleagues almost daily. Cystic fibrosis was mentioned and many other people have many other serious conditions that make them very vulnerable to this.

The question is being asked whether it is reasonable for us to change the prioritisation so they can be vaccinated earlier. What I can say at this point is NIAC, which is the expert group, has considered all of these issues and laid out the principles on which it was providing the advice. The advice it has was looked at in great detail by NPHET. NPHET endorsed the prioritisation that was there and this was subsequently agreed by the Government. However, as we said from the start, it is a living document, and as new evidence emerges and as we learn more, get new vaccines and find out more about new vaccines, we must always be open to reviewing the prioritisation. On a personal level, I am very sympathetic to the point the Deputy is making. I know people who, if they get this disease will be in very serious trouble, and I am sure every Member of the House does also, as does everyone in Ireland. It is a very important question. The position before any review is the NIAC prioritisation, which is what we are going with, but of course we must be open to reviewing it.

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