Seanad debates

Friday, 18 September 2020

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Vincent P MartinVincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

General practitioners and pharmacists have grave concerns for their patients about the initial delivery and roll-out of the flu vaccine. Delivery of the flu vaccine has already been delayed and, worse still, the number of vaccines that some doctors have been told they will receive is tiny. I have spoken to GPs and pharmacists, one of whom has received 20 vaccines. One large GP practice received an initial delivery of 60 vaccines. GPs and pharmacists are correctly worried and perplexed about this on behalf of their patients. Surely, this year of all years, the Health Service Executive should have ensured timely delivery of the vaccine and a sufficient number of vaccines to meet patient demands. The last thing this country needs is a surge in flu cases during a Covid-19 pandemic when there is an already overcrowded system.

The House will debate Brexit in a more substantive way but it appears the attitude being adopted by the British Government is that if it does not get what it wants, it will legislate for it anyway. It is not that it will legislate but it is already producing that legislation. It is playing dangerous games with hard-won peace and adopting a Harvey Smith type of attitude to the other party to the contract. The more senior Members in the House will remember who Harvey Smith is.

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