Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is a very important question, similar to many of the other questions, in terms of prioritisation. The prioritisation we are using was proposed by the expert group and NIAC, considered and endorsed by NPHET and then agreed by Cabinet. That is what we are using. Of course, it has to be a live document and we have to be open to updating it as we learn more. That goes without saying.

I am not an expert on viruses but one of the points made to me in terms of the type of situation the Deputy is talking about is that we do not have any information on the impact the vaccines have on transmissibility. If I understand the very reasonable question the Deputy is asking, it is whether NIAC or the expert group would prioritise, or increase the prioritisation of, the parents who are in this very difficult situation such that they would not contract the virus themselves and then give it to their child. I think that is the crux of the very important question the Deputy is asking. I will get him a written expert response because I cannot give him one. For what it is worth, one of the things that has been said to me by the experts on similar questions is that the vaccine would protect the parent from getting sick but would not necessarily protect the child because we do not know what level of impact it has on reducing transmissibility. That is just one of the considerations. However, I will get the Deputy an expert response.

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