Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Politicians have to be responsible for our actions. When the Taoiseach speaks to the nation, as he did yesterday, people look for leadership and hope. I refer to the last-minute announcement about the change in the vaccine roll-out. I am dealing with carers, teachers, child support workers, members of the Garda and bus drivers. A man told me on the train from Cork yesterday that one of the workers in Iarnród Éireann had died of Covid-19 and asked me where the roll-out was for them. The Taoiseach has to bring people with him. If the medical advice is the medical advice, we support that but he should have discussed that change with the unions and other representative bodies. There should have been inclusion, not an announcement out of nowhere.

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