Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcomed the clarity last month on the location of the vaccination centres, including the one in Breaffy, Castlebar. Mayo is one of the largest geographical constituencies in the country. One centre is insufficient based on journey times and the lack of public transport. Considering the high incidence rate of the virus in some parts of the constituency, especially around north Mayo, there is deep scarring in local communities. This has particularly been the case since Christmas. I have raised this issue with the HSE and it has pointed out that the situation is reviewed as necessary. However, I would really appreciate clarity at this point. It is more important for the communities of both Bellmullet and Bangor. I appreciate and understand that vaccination centres are but one part of the infrastructure but they are a critical part, along with general practitioners and pharmacists.

I welcomed the publication last week of the updated vaccine allocation strategy, which brings some relief to people with underlying health conditions. However, there is room for refinement so I urge the Minister to review the strategy as further vaccine supplies become available, especially for home carers.

An aspect of vaccine roll-out that is causing great concern relates to the lack of information on what is happening locally and the potential for misinformation. It would be worthwhile publicising more information to create a transparent overview of where vaccines are being distributed and, if they are not being distributed, when they can be expected to arrive and be administered. We need a county-by-county breakdown in this area. I fear that, in the months ahead, neighbours will be peaking over garden fences to report people who get a vaccine ahead of them. As we wait for supplies to become available, there is a need for a major public information campaign on the vaccine allocation process, the science behind it and even a rough timeline as to when people can expect to be vaccinated. There is a mammoth logistical task, with some vaccines being more difficult to transport than others, but there is an onus to inform people. Public representatives are critical in this regard and in helping people to better understand the complexity of the vaccine roll-out and how it is progressing. I appreciate that the data hub provides a large amount of information but I do not see that information being distributed or circulated on social media. I would appreciate it if the Government ensured it did not drop the ball in its communications on the vaccine roll-out. I hope the position will change over the coming weeks as people need something to be hopeful about.

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