Dáil debates

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Covid-19: Statements (Resumed)

 

2:35 pm

Photo of Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorJennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

If what is happening in the UK is repeated here, as expected, there will be an Omicron surge. That is clear. It will probably be when schools return in January. Last night, the Minister, Deputy Donnelly warned that it was entirely possible that the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variants meant that the number of Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations could exceed the spike of last January. Once the children take their Christmas holidays next week, are plans being made for 2022? I welcome the funding from the Minister for Education for HEPA filters. It is crucial that the funding is there and I thank her for that. Some 1.7 million people will have their booster doses by Christmas. The boosters will increase protection against severe outcome from Delta and possibly from Omicron. The incidence of Covid-19 among those aged five to 11 years is falling now.

Omicron is expected to be the dominant strain in Ireland next week. That is how rapid it is. It doubles infection every two or three days. The Irish public have come with us in this pandemic. If you give them the plan they put on the green jersey and do what they are asked for the greater good.

Are there plans to increase health care capacity to treat the expected higher numbers of cases? Have we staff on standby for testing and tracing? What are the plans for the vaccine certificate? Are we going to follow France and declare invalid vaccine certificates where the person has not had a booster? Will there be a renewal process for certificates? Will new vaccine certificates be put in place? There were some difficulties with the system at first. I have encountered many cases where people were vaccinated but were repeatedly offered appointments. That glitch ended up costing them when they went to get their certificate and it took a long time for the issue to be fixed.

The ramping up of the booster campaign is welcome. However, I am concerned when I hear that GPs are being instructed to prioritise booster clinics over routine care because in my area, it has been hard to get doctor appointments. I understand that we have to do this but we should be mindful of those who need other care. People still need to see the doctor for other things and that should be taken into consideration.

I also wish to acknowledge that we have had a really successful vaccine roll-out. It was probably one of the best in the world. Now we are giving out the booster dose. I am hoping to go the nearest clinic to me tomorrow to get mine. I encourage people to get their booster because it is important. We must all be mindful of everyone else. My own mother is nearly 87 years of age and I am working with people all the time. It is important that all of us, if we can, go down and get our booster because there is a booster vaccine centre near all of us. I encourage people to go.

It is also important to recognise all our front-line workers. This year has been another exceptionally hard one for people. We have had all the different variants of Covid. Nobody is expecting these because we seem to be going from day to day. None of us want to be here again asking what is going to happen next. However, from knowing the Minister and Ministers of State, I know how hard they have all been working in the background. I know how hard it is with this disease that is changing constantly and I know the work that goes on. It is important to acknowledge the work the Minister and Ministers of State are doing. I would say this has been a very hard year for the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and all the Ministers of State. I wish everyone a really happy Christmas and a lovely new year. Again, we do not know what is happening in the new year. We do not know what is facing any of us. We do not know what challenges we will have. All we can do is be there, support each other, support our communities, work with people and work with our Government. All of us can solve this by working together and not by finding faults. I am not saying there have not been mistakes. As the Minister and Ministers of State will tell you, I will always say it when there is an issue somewhere. I constantly address these issues, especially those to do with my own constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. I can honestly say, as someone who, like all of us, works so hard to represent the people of my own constituency, that the amount of work that goes on in the background must be acknowledged. Again, I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a happy new year.

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