Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will try to be brief and allow the Minister to come back in. I welcome his comments regarding kidney and dialysis patients. I also raise the case of sufferers of cystic fibrosis. Approximately 1,300 adults and children in this country suffer from that disease. Being in here talking about vaccines and trying to get them out to people quickly reminds me of the parable of the loaves and the fishes. It is difficult and there are stresses on the system. We are doing our best to prioritise those who need the vaccine most. I ask the Minister to take cystic fibrosis sufferers into consideration.

I refer to pharmacies and the vaccination process for over-70s in particular. I ask the Minister to clarify the reasons pharmacists cannot vaccinate the over-70s. Is there a clinical reason? Will the Minister elaborate on that? Pharmacists and their staff have the training and safeguards in place to deal with any adverse event that may arise from the vaccination process. We understand that there will be problems with the delivery of the vaccine and that supply will peak and trough but assigning the vaccination of over-70s solely to GPs is likely to cause further unnecessary delays in the administration of the vaccine. I ask the Minister to provide clarity on the pharmacy issue.

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