Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is one of the good news stories of the vaccine programme and the considerable reduction in cases of Covid-19 in healthcare settings, including maternity hospitals. The maternity hospitals are making local calls themselves. As the Deputy is aware, there are different rates of disease around the country and hospitals are faced with different local epidemiological situations. I will, of course, support the local infection prevention and control decisions that are made by the hospitals but I want to see, as we all do, as open access as possible but, critically, within the confines of what the local hospitals believe is safe.

The Deputy asked me about the Government's position on the waiver and I have given him that. My position, for what it may be worth, is that the waiver is a good idea and I would like to see it. The Deputy asked me specifically about the Government's position. The waiver is not a panacea or silver bullet but we must find a way to get vaccines around the world as quickly as possible. My personal view is that I would like to see the waiver supported.

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