Dáil debates

Thursday, 25 March 2021

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme (Health): Statements

 

10:30 am

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I compliment those on the front line of the vaccine roll-out who are doing an excellent job. There is no doubt that things are getting better but we started from a very low base. My concern is that the positivity that the Minister expresses as to where we are now and where we are going and the caveats therein cause significant confusion with the public because they are deeply concerned through the stories that they are hearing from their GPs, on the radio or in print media, that the vaccine is slow in its arrival. The Minister cannot ignore that. At a time when we were talking about vaccines and were asking America for the loan of vaccines because they had a stockpile, we were being told that that was not the case. The New York Timescarried a banner headline on an article about the AstraZeneca vaccine that was stockpiled in the US. The Minister cannot deploy spin to beat the facts and the fact is that AstraZeneca has failed us, Europe has failed us to a degree, and we are not getting sufficient vaccine.

The Devil is in the detail. When we talk about the categories that are being vaccinated, we have to continue to remember that there should be a political input into this. I reject the statement made yesterday that if carers in the home get vaccinated they are taking it from somebody else. That is simply not true. We are asking that they be recognised properly and that they be given a place within the different categories which respects the work that they do and their position. That can be said also of the Garda, vulnerable teachers and so on, and we need to address it and to show political leadership by responding in a way to the change that is needed in the different sectors when a case is made. That is not asking for anyone to jump the queue.

In the same way we hear the argument about going back to places of worship. The fact of the matter is that ten people attending a funeral in a massive church is absolutely ridiculous and there is no common sense attached to the argument that there should only be ten people. These are the issues that people are watching, understanding and questioning. They want to know why there can only be ten people in a church but that there can be as many people in a store as one likes.

I ask the Minister to look at the carers and at the places of worship and to give consideration-----

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