David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

First, I join the Minister in commending all those in the HSE and NIAC on the work they are doing on the vaccine roll-out. I also commend those in our wider health services, both in public health departments and in our hospitals, on all the work that has been done over the past year in difficult and trying circumstances.

As we come out of Covid-19, there are an awful lot of lessons to be learned on how we approach our public services, and most especially, putting a more positive emphasis on public health. That lesson is being learned.

Life is starting to open up and we can see the finishing line on the horizon. That is all for the good. The quicker we see the easing of restrictions, the better. It cannot come quick enough or soon enough for all of us. I fully appreciate it must be based on the public health advice. I appeal to people to stick with the advice over the next number of weeks. If we do that and get it right, there will be opportunities for people who want to get back to work and do more outdoor activities in areas such as sport. People obviously want to open up their businesses again and get more normality back into their lives. We all want to see that happen. I appeal, therefore, for people to stay the course over the next number of weeks.

However, we also need strong leadership and competent management in whole range of areas, however. The Minister referenced all-island co-operation. He will notice that this week, people in their 30s are being offered the vaccine in the North. We are starting to see substantial reopenings in the North and that is all for the good as well. That was because we had a very strong and steady roll-out of vaccines. That competent management is, therefore, really important. It has to be seen in contact tracing, travel checks and quarantine and the vaccine roll-out.

I will start my questions with the vaccine roll-out. At the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health, the HSE said the projection for delivery of vaccines for the month of April is 800,000. We since learned that there were more changes to the AstraZeneca supply with the delivery of 40,000 doses on Saturday reduced to 9,000. Then, the delivery on 30 April of 160,000 doses was pushed out a couple of days. Is 800,000 still the figure for the month of April?

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