Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change) | Oireachtas source

I will be very quick. Again, I will have to avoid niceties because I only have two minutes. I support an immediate public investigation, not on the back of the "RTÉ Investigates" programme last night, even though it was harrowing to watch, but on the basis that it should have happened a long time ago.

I note the change to the vaccine programme. I hope it works and that there will be a positive uptake. I ask the Minister to supply a breakdown outlining all the groups that are outstanding and the numbers involved. I would like him to link that information with the information on the vaccine that is coming now and the expected position on the vaccine roll-out over the next month or two. That will be very important for transparency.

A revised module is required immediately, as has been asked about already. My concern over indoor dining is simply that workers in the indoor dining environment will have to be safe and protected by public health measures. The worker should return to pay and conditions that are the same or better than those they had before March of last year.

The Minister raised this morning the major concern that there could be a surge if the predictions on the pessimistic side are correct. Could the Minister state in his reply or as soon as possible thereafter how the hospitals are managing and preparing for this in regard to elective surgery and normal healthcare?

I want to raise a point that has been raised on numerous occasions. The Minister said that we have entered agreements through the European Commission for the delivery of millions of doses of vaccines in 2022 and 2023. While I welcome that, will the Minister apply the same determination to ensuring the international population will be vaccinated to protect us all?

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