Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of the roll-out of vaccines for community-based services such as homeless services, community drugs teams, counselling services and services for children with autism and other disability services. Many workers in these services were seconded to the HSE during the first wave and were valued members of the HSE during that very difficult time. At this stage, many or all of them have returned to work in their services and they are dealing again with vulnerable service users. This is important work but, unfortunately, much of it is taking place via Zoom or through phone calls. There is no one-on-one interaction in terms of the delivery of these services, which is a critical piece of their service delivery.

Earlier, reference was made to the loaves and fishes in terms of trying to get the vaccine to as many people as quickly as possible. We all acknowledge that the pandemic has taken a serious toll on the mental and physical health of people in our communities, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities. It is vital that services are up and running again as quickly as possible. There is an enormous challenge facing us into the future because of the restrictions under which many of these services have been operating up to now.

I would to speak about a particular service in which I am involved. There are four front-line workers, an administration staff member and a co-ordinator involved in this project, which works with vulnerable people within our community. The four front-line workers have been asked to register for their vaccination, and have done so, but the other two staff have not been asked to register despite that they are a critical piece of this service. There are so many services across the State that similarly are small compact services in which staff work closely. It is important that administrative and other staff be given the vaccine at the same time as the front-line workers. In my opinion, and that of the staff about whom I am speaking, they are front-line workers in terms of the workings of these services.

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