Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputy Barry. We all acknowledge that the roll-out of the vaccine is logistically extremely challenging so we wish those who are on the front line of the vaccine roll-out well because this will get us out of the pandemic.

I raise an issue with regard to the revision of the vaccine schedule which was conducted last week. That was very welcome to those who are immunocompromised, particularly in terms of underlying conditions. Many people had great hope that the revision of the schedule would put them in cohort 4 of the vaccine strategy. I speak about those who have cystic fibrosis in this country. Unfortunately, a distinction has been made between severe and stable cystic fibrosis. Those who have severe cystic fibrosis have been put into cohort 4 rather than cohort 7 but those who have stable cystic fibrosis are still in cohort 7. That does not make sense because there are 800 adults in Ireland who have cystic fibrosis so splitting them into two different cohorts does not make sense. I call on the Minister, NIAC and the powers that be to consider reviewing the position of those who have cystic fibrosis because there seems to be a type of apartheid approach to that condition. Those who have the condition are very keen to get access to the vaccine as soon as possible. I call on the Minister to use his power, as Minister for Health, to review that position.

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