Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have had a slow roll out of vaccines. We are now seeing increased cases among young children of school-going age. We have no vaccination for teachers or early childcare professionals. While we wait for them to be vaccinated, are there any plans to roll out antigen tests in school or childcare settings? We must do everything to protect these settings. These tests are cheap and can be another tool to combat this pandemic. Perhaps the Minister will come back to me on that.

With regard to information gathering, there is no database for vaccinations. Ireland has no national disease register or a national immunisation IT system. A vaccination portal has been live for healthcare workers to register for the vaccine. Is the Minister considering a roll out to the general public?

Carlow IT is the site for our vaccination centre, but it is not open at the moment. People from Carlow currently must go to Kilkenny to be vaccinated. Will the HSE or the Minister come back to me on this? I understand that it is supposed to be open in mid-April. Will the Minister come back to me with a date? People have contacted me about this.

I want to ask the Minister again about the carers. In the NHS just up the road in the North, a person in receipt of carers allowance can book a Covid vaccine online right now. In Germany family carers are on the priority list for a vaccine. Is there any update from the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, about vaccinations for carers? I am aware the Minister is working on this.

The HSE has set up an information line on the vaccination roll-out across the State, which is very welcome. It is really informative and gives us the information we are looking for.

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