Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all three Deputies for their very supportive comments on the vaccine programme and all those working on it. Deputy McGuinness asked, as several Deputies have, what the position would be for those who have already received the first dose of the mRNA vaccines. If NIAC recommends to me that we extend the four-week interval to eight weeks or 12 weeks, for example, what will happen to those who have already received their first dose and therefore know when their second dose is due? It is my position that those who have received their first dose would remain with the four-week interval. However, if NIAC makes an overwhelming argument to the contrary that it would be in the public interest and protect more people, obviously that is something we will consider. However, my position very clearly is that those who have had their first dose should get their second dose four weeks later, as scheduled.

Regarding religious services, I had a very constructive meeting with the Archbishop of Armagh on Monday. We went through many of the issues. I know concerns were raised about a recent statutory instrument. That statutory instrument did nothing new; it simply maintained the status quo. It is very important to let people know religious services and religious worship were not singled out in that statutory instrument nor in any other statutory instrument. All that was being done was that regulations were being put in place to maintain the status quoabout not having large indoor or outdoor gatherings for public health reasons, which we all understand. The archbishop asked me if, for example, a priest could tend to a bereaved family. The answer is "Yes". Could they tend to someone who is suffering in terms of sacraments? I said that they absolutely can. There is no measure in place targeting religious services. There are measures in place, it is hoped for as short a time as possible, targeting indoor and outdoor gatherings. In the coming week, the Government will look explicitly at religious services.

I thank Deputy Calleary for his comments about an additional vaccination centre in Mayo. I will pass that directly to the HSE for consideration. Obviously, we would prefer that people who may be very vulnerable would not to need to make a 2.5-hour round trip.

Deputy Richmond spoke about the concerns over the AstraZeneca vaccine. As I said to Deputy Howlin, we need to listen very carefully and respectfully. We need to acknowledge people's very reasonable concerns. We need to provide people with the best scientific advice. Based on everything I have seen, I would take the AstraZeneca vaccine today. NIAC is operating under an abundance of caution and in the context of multiple options being available in Ireland.

The European Commission has initiated a legal case over AstraZeneca. Earlier this week I joined Ireland as one of the parties to that legal case specifically relating to AstraZeneca's complete failure to meet its contractual delivery agreements for April, May and June.

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