Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I again take issue with the language being used by Deputy McDonald. To suggest that a deserving group like family carers is being ignored is again playing politics with the vaccination programme. The national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, has consistently advised the Government regarding the prioritisation of groups that should be vaccinated. It is based on those who are the most vulnerable and at the greatest risk of becoming severely ill or dying from the disease.

NIAC will continue to advise the Government regarding the prioritisation of those cohorts. The most recent significant advice came last week concerning those with underlying health conditions. Those people were moved up the list in accordance with the clinical advice, and again based on the principles of prioritising those people who are the most vulnerable to disease and death. NIAC continues to look at other cohorts in this regard. I think it is wrong, however, for the Deputy to state that the Government is deliberately ignoring a certain group. We certainly are not.

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