Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I recognise this matter is not part of the Minister of State's remit and he has been left to explain this particular failing in the system. However, some of his response does not make sense. He stated the centre at the Arklow Bay Hotel was to open today but, because there are only three weeks left before the hotel returns to its usual business, it does not make logistical sense to have it operating for that period. I do not understand why the HSE is not using that particular facility for the next three weeks. The staff in Arklow were ready to go and had to be stood down. According to the statistics given by the Minister of State, using the centre for the next three weeks could potentially result in 12,000 to 15,000 people being vaccinated. That is surely a good thing and would give the HSE time to find a plan B. Will the Minister of State ask the HSE to look at using the Arklow Bay Hotel for the next three weeks? I assume the State has paid for a three-month contract, yet not a single Covid vaccination has been administered there. It seems like a wasted opportunity not to use the site for the next three weeks.

There are huge problems for people from south Wicklow in accessing the Greystones centre. There is limited public transport available and that is causing a lot of problems. It does not make sense to have people going to Greystones from Arklow and elsewhere in south Wicklow as well as from County Wexford while people in Greystones have to go to Dublin to get their vaccine. I have spoken to the National Transport Authority, NTA, about putting in place a bus service from south Wicklow and north Wexford to Greystones. Today, I telephoned Wexford Bus and was told the company is keen and eager to provide a service. I ask the Minister of State to contact the NTA to make sure public transport provision is put in place. That should have been done already. It is critical that it be provided now given there is no plan B for people from south Wicklow to get their vaccinations.

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