Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy does not mind, I will briefly return to those aged over 70 years and older. The timelines were we discussing before the decision on the mRNA vaccines had the end of March as the date when the administration of the first doses would have been complete, but because we are using the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, and the supplies are different, that process has lengthened by about two weeks. It is not a shift from March to May. March was the completion time for the first dose and that has now shifted by about two weeks because we are using the mRNA vaccines.

Turning to the specific issue of carers, I hear what the Deputy is saying loud and clear. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I had a meeting yesterday with many groups representing older people, and carers' groups were represented at that meeting as well. I have had many representations on this matter, as we all have. There is nothing that I and the rest of us would like more than to have no supply constraints now and to be able to vaccinate all these groups that do such incredible work. I state that because the cases and associated fears raised by the Deputy are similar to ones of which we are all aware. These are real concerns and worries.

I asked the HSE specifically about this point and about a clinical judgment in this regard, because we have debated it several times here in the House. We must remember that the decisions being made by the HSE on a clinical basis derive from the principle of using the vaccines to protect those people who are most vulnerable. Hence, we have started with those in long-term residential care settings and those aged 70 years and over because the information we have is that they are the highest risk categories. As more vaccine becomes available, we will of course be moving on to people who are family carers as quickly as we can. The clinical judgment which we got in respect of protecting those who are directly most at risk themselves was as we laid out here before. That is in no way to talk down the incredibly valuable work those carers do, and the real concerns being articulated by the Deputy.

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