Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before I put a question to the Minister, I wish to take the opportunity to recognise the great work and sacrifices made by all front-line workers. As one who has recovered from the Covid virus, I can fully appreciate how difficult it is for those who are suffering from it. I offer condolences to the families of those who have died as a consequence of this pandemic.

My concern is with the sequencing and pace of the vaccination roll-out and how those who are to be vaccinated are prioritised. One group of healthcare workers who deal with some of the most vulnerable in our community are agency workers employed as carers. The use of agency workers is problematic, in that they move between many vulnerable people and their families within the community. There is real potential for such individuals to be carriers of the virus because, as all Deputies know, one can be a carrier of the virus without knowing one has it.

Has the Department of Health a comprehensive list of such agencies? Has it engaged with those agencies to put in place a vaccination schedule for their employees? Will the Minister of State clarify the timeline for when those staff members will be vaccinated? Into which cohort do those people fall?

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