Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister, health professionals and front-line staff for the progress made over recent months in the vaccination roll-out. It is heartening to see us rolling through the different age cohorts, with people getting those much-needed jabs. That needs to be acknowledged. I thank the Minister, his Department and all those on the front line.

On the 24-hour vaccination centres, will the Minister expand on their anticipated roll-out, where they might be and how quickly we might see them? What is the Minister's position on supporting the waiving of intellectual property rights in terms of the Covid vaccine?

On maternity services, last April, my wife and I were lucky enough to have a baby girl. As we had a child during Covid, we think back on the difficulties we had at that time. I was lucky enough to be able to be there for the birth of my child. I can empathise with much of what has been said here by other Deputies. We are expecting a third child in September. It would be great to get some clarification on a more streamlined approach with maternity services. What role potentially might a digital green cert play in the availing of such services? Would it permit people to attend such services in the future?

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