Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the comments today by the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, in regard to the vaccination programme. Both have consistently indicated that they want the programme to be rolled out fairly and that those most in need will be prioritised. That has to be the basis for rolling out the largest ever vaccination programme in the history of our country.

I welcome the Minister's confirmation that 85% of the public have indicated that they want to have the vaccine made available to them. The vaccination programme already involves additional partnerships with GPs, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. I welcome their determination and interest in ensuring the programme is rolled out as rapidly as possible. I am also glad that GPs at local level will share facilities where necessary to ensure the vaccination programme is administered as locally as possible. For some weeks, I have been contacting the HSE at local level to give the names and details of various community and sporting organisations that want to make their facilities available should they be of particular use.

I had the opportunity earlier today to discuss with the Minister the very strong requests made by kidney patients in respect of the vaccination programme. They have outlined to all of us very clearly the need to reassess the programme in terms of when they will get their vaccine. They highlight very strongly that domestic and international expert medical opinion makes a strong case on both medical and ethical grounds for the need for all kidney patients to be vaccinated earlier than currently planned. I sincerely hope the Minister can give that particular request detailed and urgent consideration.

The Minister will recall that I have raised on numerous occasions the need to ensure the strict implementation of restrictions on travel, both for people within this State and people visiting the State. I very much welcome the new restrictions that came into place earlier this week. I genuinely believe that people visiting the State should be subject to the same travel restrictions as are people ordinarily resident here. It is a welcome move. I also welcome the Government's commitment to impose harsher penalties on people travelling outside the State and coming back here on non-essential travel.

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