Dáil debates

Thursday, 22 April 2021

Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements

 

1:45 pm

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I too join Members in commending everyone involved in the vaccine roll-out and particularly the registration portal which has worked very effectively.

I have two key questions. One is for the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, who I thank for her contact in recent weeks about the vaccinations for home-bound people. I am disappointed to hear there are still 300 people remaining as their vaccinations were all due to have been completed by last weekend. Can the Minister of State give me an idea of where they are geographically and will extra National Ambulance Service resources be assigned to those areas? I am concerned that the administration of second doses to some housebound people has begun before all the first doses in the cohort have been completed. Given what the Minister has just said about the protection offered by the first dose, surely it would be fairer to complete all the first doses for housebound people before commencing the second doses.

Turning to the Minister, on the vaccination centres, he previously assured me those signing up for the vaccine would be given a choice of either a vaccination centre or their local GP or pharmacist. Now, when one goes on the portal, one is assigned to the vaccination centre. In County Mayo that currently means a round trip of at least two and a half hours if a person is coming from Erris or a two-hour round trip if he or she is coming from Ballina. If we are sending people to vaccination centres then we need extra centres in Erris and Ballina in order to ensure people will keep their appointments.

I would like answers to those two questions.

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