Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

There is no doubt the vaccination programme was a real success, but we now know a third stage is required. People in their 70s are asking me when they are likely to even get notified of a date. Has the Government consulted the GPs on their ability to deliver this programme? The GPs are very busy at the moment as there are many things circulating in the community. Do they have the ability to do this? If not, can people be directed to vaccination centres? There is a real problem with people who got the AstraZeneca vaccine, particularly those in their 60s, because there was a 12-week gap between the first dose and the second. This means that some people did not receive their second vaccination until August.

We seem to be moving from wave to wave. The economy has been reopened but some of it has been closed down again. What is going to happen to the people who will be worried about losing their jobs this weekend? The pandemic unemployment payment is being reduced today. People will not be able to get on it again. That simply must be addressed. The likes of the national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, have been very slow to respond to issues, including the issue of healthcare workers. Some 1,800 such workers were out sick or were self-isolating. There needs to be greater speed in giving advice when all the evidence elsewhere shows that a booster programme needs to be delivered quickly.

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