Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to delve into one element with three questions momentarily. Before that, many Members have mentioned various categories in society and their places on the list. I do not take issue with that, but I ask the Minister to provide clarity on one niche area, which is Irish citizens based abroad who are in the service of the State and when they might expect to receive the vaccine. I refer to members of the Defence Forces who are on peacekeeping missions and our diplomatic corps. A number of foreign diplomats who are based here have been called home to receive their vaccines. What is the plan for those Irish citizens who do such important front-facing work?

I do not wish to labour the point about AstraZeneca because Deputy O'Connor and other Members have dealt with the details, but I would appreciate if the Minister would elaborate on one of the replies he gave to Deputy Cullinane regarding what type of engagement he or his officials are having with European Commission officials or other ministers across the EU. Is there an Irish Sherpa when it comes to vaccine procurement? Perhaps he would also elaborate on the status of both the CureVac and the Janssen Johnson & Johnson vaccines as they go through the various processes.

The Minister and Deputy O'Connor talked quite rightly about the importance of giving people clear information. I am very concerned about the deliberate misinformation that is being spread by Members, members of the media and members of the public in terms of what exactly a vaccine procurement programme is. There are glib comments that we can just abandon the EU and get the vaccines ourselves. They ask why we cannot act like Hungary and get the Sputnik V vaccine or engage with Chinese or Indian pharmaceutical companies. It is important that the Minister elaborate on the exact importance of this programme, the opportunities it presents and how isolated we would be outside it.

That level of misinformation and disinformation is starting to seep through. People are already emailing my office asking why we cannot just throw money at the problem and get a workaround. The vaccine nationalism being pushed by certain organs in the UK media is compounding the issue.

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