Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. It is very important at the outset that we state we have come on an incredible journey in a short space of time in terms of the vaccination roll-out. We have moved from being the laggards of Europe to being the top performing country in the continent, and this is the level at which we need to be operating. As of last Sunday, we had administered 94,000 vaccines. We have a team of 1,700 vaccinators operating and a total of 4,000 people trained to vaccinate. It is important that we emphasise that this is the largest ever vaccination programme undertaken in the country. I commend the Minister and his team on their Trojan work in this regard.

It is also important that we put on record that we have paid a massive price in terms of Covid. As of yesterday evening, we have logged 179,000 cases and, sadly, we have recorded 2,768 deaths. For them, sadly, the vaccines will come too late. It is these deaths, and doubtless there will be other deaths that will surely come in the coming weeks, that need to keep us focused on the stated goal of the Minister and the entire House that we complete our vaccination programme by September. We have been issued with a roadmap, which is very welcome . As some of my colleagues have said, it needs to be delivered with authority and conviction.

An important aspect of the plan is the messaging. We will shortly commence vaccinations for everybody over the age of 70 not living in long-term care facilities. Here the message needs to be precise, timely and reassuring. It is critical these recipients, many of whom live alone and are isolated, know as soon as possible and affirmatively when they are to get their vaccine and where they will do so. I am conscious that many of my colleagues have already highlighted the call for earlier vaccinations for cystic fibrosis patients and mental health nurses, and I support these calls.

Everybody in the House agrees it has been a tremendously difficult week for the parents of special needs children and the children themselves. The Minister is determined to get the resumption of special needs education classes as soon as possible, and there is an earnest expectation that we will shortly see our schools reopen. The current schedule of vaccinations will not see education workers vaccinated until April. I encourage the Minister to look at every opportunity to see whether this can be brought forward. Similarly, childcare staff have been working in facilities since the start of the year and it seems they have been overlooked. They also need to be prioritised. We have heard the case made here today for pharmacy workers. If this can be fast-tracked, it would be greatly appreciated. Crucially, we need clarity on the situation of family carers as it seems that at present they are included as key workers in cohort 6 but in reality they are healthcare workers. I note the Minister's earlier clarification that paid carers are now categorised in cohort 2 but, for clarity, will the Minister confirm whether those in receipt of carer's allowance or carer's benefit are now included in this category also?

Everybody in the House received an email from Siobhán this week. She cares for her elderly parents and her daughter who has cystic fibrosis. For ten months she has gamely battled to keep her home Covid free. It has been pressurised and extremely stressful but her efforts have taken a huge amount of strain off our other front-line workers. It is important that we prioritise the Siobháns of this world, the people who are working, north, south, east and west, in this country for a fraction of the minimum wage.

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