Results 18,581-18,600 of 49,836 for speaker:Stephen Donnelly

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his ongoing advocacy for global justice and global fair distribution, with which I fully agree. There are various mechanisms by which Ireland can help. Ireland must help and we must do everything that we can. As was pointed out earlier, we have advance purchased a significant amount of vaccine doses, more than we would need. We can see with some of the supply issues...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy for his questions and his acknowledgement of the shuttle bus. The Deputy raised this issue. He and I discussed it with the Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Niall Collins, Deputy Willie O'Dea and various people. I committed to Deputy O'Donnell that we would do it if it could be done. I thank him...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I am sure it is a great relief. Regarding the cases, we had a serious situation. From the public health reports I received a combination of things were happening, including end-of-term parties, indoor family events and various other things. We also had reports of people who had been infected going into workplaces when they possibly did not need to be there and thereby becoming vectors of...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I will get the Deputy the data.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: If the Deputy will send me the details of the lady in question, we will have the matter looked at. There are numerous ongoing cases of people travelling. We have a clear regulation in place which sets out the criteria for medical exemption. As the Deputy said, those criteria include it being time-sensitive and verification from a treating clinician. If the Deputy contacts me, I will point...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Canney for his questions on the various issues. The short answer on the AstraZeneca vaccine is that there is no plan to shorten the interval below 12 weeks. The interval was extended from 12 weeks to 16 weeks for a significant number of people and is now being brought back to 12 weeks. All of the doses we have and all those that are coming are fully committed for second...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Deputy. It is a pity to hear his anger and frustration in what is a very positive roll-out across the country. He and I have discussed in the Chamber on several occasions the need for a vaccination centre in Drogheda. That has been delivered and it opened last week, as the Deputy will be aware. On the Deputy’s question on whether we need to open it for longer, if that...

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: It would be impossible to say if everybody in cohort 7 will be done but certainly as many as possible will be done by the end of June.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: The short answer is "Yes", but there is one caveat. New people are being notified to us all the time. If new people are notified, we will get to them as quickly as possible. The answer is "Yes" for those known to us now.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: No.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, I am. There have been various issues raised regarding Meath and Louth, for example. We have responded to those. If there are any localised issues we are made aware of, we will do everything we can to respond. We want as even a roll-out as possible.

Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-out: Statements (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Yes, they will. Any of them who want a vaccine should be fully inoculated by the end of September.

Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that the relevant period, within the meaning of section 9 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 (No. 1 of 2021), shall stand extended for the period beginning on the 8th day of June, 2021 and ending on the 31st day of July, 2021. This motion seeks agreement to the continuation in force of the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 up to 31 July 2021. I...

Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I have a closing speech, but I might try to address some of the points raised by some of the Deputies who are present. I will start with the questions raised by Deputy Connolly. With regard to appeals, as of 25 May there have been 1,518 appeals. Some 11%, or 166, were granted and 1,352 were refused. As of 20 May, the breakdown of the reasons for the 157 granted appeals were as follows: 62...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank Deputy Harkin and all other Deputies who contributed to the debate. It has been a worthwhile, thoughtful, reflective and important debate in regard to the exceptional times we are in and the legislation and public health measures and powers that have been put in place to respond to the pandemic. I do not have a closing speech. I propose instead to try to capture the various...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: Nonetheless, the powers are necessary. Notwithstanding Deputy Mattie McGrath and a few others, most of us in this Chamber understand why we need public health measures, why they have been important in terms of saving lives and why they need a statutory basis to be brought in. Deputy Harkin and others mentioned that what we should be doing in this legislation is unwinding the measures and...

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. It is not a point of order. If that is incorrect, and if there were such a motion tabled to annul a specific regulation-----

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: -----I am more than happy to accept that with no problem whatsoever. However, I would point out that we all listened to the diatribe, quite frankly, from Deputy Mattie McGrath but we listened nonetheless. We did not keep jumping up like a jack-in-the-box and interrupting him. We do afford each other the space to make our points. Deputy Mattie McGrath might consider the same. We have...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (31 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I propose the continuation into force of the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 to 31 July 2021. To remind the House, this Act provides for the mandatory quarantine in designated facilities of persons coming into the State from certain areas. Commonly referred to as mandatory hotel quarantine, it has been operational since 26 March 2021. It has been an important part of the public health measures...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (31 May 2021)

Stephen Donnelly: I had some closing remarks but instead I might address the points raised. I ask Members to bear with me as I go back and forward through some of the technical notes. I will start with the appeals process and exemptions. There were quite a few questions on that. The exemptions that were in the Act are as follows: those holding an annex 3 certificate, that is those ensuring the availability...