Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

2:35 pm

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The 60- to 69-year-olds are a group I have raised many times in the House in regard to the length of time they had to wait for their second vaccine. They now have to wait another five to six months to get their boosters because they were in the category that received AstraZeneca. What comfort can the Tánaiste give people in that category, as everyone else gets boosters over the next three weeks, regarding the efficacy of their vaccines and how the boosters that are given to them will not discriminate because of their being in that category?

Second, I am all for COVAX and distributing some of our vaccines to poorer nations across the world, particularly the vector vaccines. However, the mRNA vaccines are not really distributable to poorer nations because they do not have the infrastructure. Will consideration be given by early next year, after we have dealt with those aged under 60 who have underlying conditions, to putting in place a booster vaccine programme for the whole population? We have the infrastructure to do it and we have 90 million vaccines, some of which we will not be distributing under COVAX. We will have more than ample vaccines to do so.

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