Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I ask about the ongoing booster programme. I support what it delivers for over-60s, under-60s who are compromised and, when we have European Medicines Agency, EMA, approval, hopefully children as well. Does the Taoiseach believe we will have a booster programme for the remaining population early next year? Would he support that? Will he ask the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, to bring forward a decision on that before Christmas so the infrastructure in place for the programme can be maintained afterwards? It would be crazy to let that infrastructure go away. Does the Taoiseach believe that we will be in a position to do this? NIAC and the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, will advise on whether it is medically and scientifically good but it is a Government decision whether to proceed with such a booster campaign. Will the Taoiseach have NIAC make a decision before Christmas? That committee took so long in relation to healthcare workers.

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