Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her questions. I thank her for raising the issue of access to vaccinations for those in Connemara. Deputy Ó Cuív has also informed me that there has been some concern in the area that the drive to the vaccination centre is simply too long. I have raised the issue with the HSE. There are a few areas in Mayo, Connemara and in parts of Donegal, where people are located outside of the desired length of travel to the vaccination centre. It is absolutely the case that Connemara is one of the areas furthest away from the nearest centre. We have raised the issue with the HSE with a view to finding a local solution. For example, I know that in the community to which Deputy Farrell referred, there is a community centre that people are interested in using as a satellite vaccination centre. That option can be looked at. In addition, we are looking into whether clusters of GPs could be used to administer greater numbers of vaccinations because for some people, the trip to the centre is too long. The issue is being into and I thank the Deputy for raising it.

On the issue of cohort 7, I note the Deputy's point. I am aware that there is a frustration amongst some who are waiting to get vaccinated. The cyberattack has caused a few problems around data flow. It is worth stating, in respect of cohort 7, that the numbers on the portal are lower than reality. Actually, quite a number of these people have been done.

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