Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate today. I would like to start by commenting, once more, on the failure of this Government the HSE to reach its vaccination target for the second week in a row. It is unacceptable this has happened, and to make matters worse, it has happened two weeks in a row. As the Minister knows, the people of this country have been in lockdown for the best part of a year. Their only hope of getting back to life as they once knew it is with the vaccine. It is soul-destroying for them to see on the daily news the continued failure of the Government and the HSE in respect of the vaccine roll-out. Will the Minister confirm to the House what plans are in place to get the vaccine programme back on track? Has he made the point to the HSE the approach currently being taken is simply not good enough? What actions will be taken to ensure the vaccine roll-out programme is brought up to speed?

It is not only Members of the Opposition who are deeply unhappy with this roll-out programme. Members of the Minister's own Government have also called it into question. The bottom line is we are falling behind in this. I constantly hear from GPs there is very little communication with the HSE. They are very frustrated. It is not good enough. The HSE must be more accountable. The Government has stated everyone will be vaccinated by the end of September. I find this very hard to believe given our the experience to date. GPs have told me they are not receiving vaccines when promised, and they are being forced to tell their elderly patients their vaccine appointments must be cancelled. This causes undue stress and worry for those in this age group, which is not fair.

In Northern Ireland, anyone over the age of 60 and those aged over 16 who are classed as vulnerable can now book their vaccine appointments.

The North is way ahead of us. The authorities there have vaccinated 96% of people aged over 80, 91% of those aged between 75 and 79, 86% of those aged between 70 and 74, 72% of those aged between 65 and 69, and 45% of those classed as vulnerable. They will have vaccinated their population way ahead of us and they will have their economy and society open before us. That will cause chaos, particularly in the Border counties.

I want to bring the Minister's attention to the situation of dentists and their staff. I have spoken to a number of dentists in Dundalk and they are all having the same issues with the HSE and the vaccine roll-out. Despite being told to register with the HSE's online portal, they have still not been called for the vaccine. In fact, they have not received any correspondence from the HSE. Dentists and their staff are front-line workers and are dealing with a large number of HSE patients. They are being treated unfairly in the roll-out programme. It is simply unacceptable that they are not receiving any correspondence from the HSE. I spoke yesterday to a dentist in Dundalk who informed me that no dentist in the area, apparently, has received a vaccine appointment through the HSE's online portal.

Will the Minister confirm what action he is taking to ensure the vaccination programme gets back on track and remains on track until everyone who wants a vaccine gets it? What date has the Government set to roll out the vaccine to everybody in the State? Finally, can the Minister address the issue I raised in respect of dentists and their staff not receiving a date for vaccination?

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