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

The Government has given a very strong recognition to family carers and will continue to improve the supports that are available more generally and particularly in terms of providing services across the board for those who need care or help and assistance. It has been clear that the Government vaccination programme, as advised by the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, was to vaccinate in the first instance those who are most vulnerable to the disease, namely, senior citizens over the age of 70, particularly those in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, which we have done, and then front-line healthcare workers, who are particularly exposed to getting the virus in the line of duty on a daily basis. That was generally agreed, I understood, in the House. I do not think it is a good way to go about business to try to pit one group against another and to say the Government is against one group or not recognising a group.

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