Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I thank all healthcare staff for their work on the front line on behalf of all our citizens. These staff work long hours in difficult circumstances and have made huge sacrifices in their private lives to ensure they are in a position to continue to look after those in need.

I welcome that by Sunday last, 143,000 people had received the vaccine, all of our nursing homes had completed the first series of vaccinations and we had started on the second dose in those homes.This will be a comfort to families who have loved ones in those homes and who have been unable to visit them. It is important to note that we cannot let our guard down with regard to the simple message of washing our hands, wearing our face masks and keeping our distance, as both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines protect at 94% and 95%, respectively.

Will I take the vaccine when my turn comes? I will, and I advise everybody to do so. However, I am concerned that a recent MRBI poll for the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, IPHA, showed that 75% of the respondents said they would take the vaccine, 18% are unsure and 7% said they will not. We must ensure we get close to 100%, if possible, to save lives, help our healthcare system and get back to some form of normality. I agree with Senator Flynn about a comprehensive campaign across all social media platforms to dismiss the myth being put forward by the anti-vaxxers. It is also important that Moderna laboratory studies have shown that its vaccine is protective against the new UK and South African variants.

I welcome the provision of the timeline for vaccinations which has been proposed by NPHET, subsequent to receiving our doses based on EU agreements. It is important that it is adhered to when rolled out through GPs and pharmacies in the coming months. There have been reports of office staff receiving the vaccination ahead of front-line healthcare workers, family members and so forth. This cannot happen. People must have confidence in our programme. I do not believe that we, as politicians, should seek to adjust the timeline, but I wish to make a few points.

I am personally very annoyed with the decision by Fórsa which meant that the special needs schools and classes have not reopened. I am aware this is a priority for the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Madigan. We do not want children, whether they are in special needs schools or mainstream school classes, to be out of school for a moment longer than necessary. Many people support the policy that schools should not reopen while numbers are high, and I understand the concerns of special needs assistants, SNAs, about social distancing while in class. However, we have a responsibility to the children and their parents, because these children are regressing and are in danger of losing previously developed skills. Many of these children might never regain what they have lost. We must recognise the strain that the closures have placed each day on the families, guardians and carers of children with additional needs. Have we chosen to prioritise the needs of those who are vocal and strong over those of the most vulnerable in our community? Should we consider a vaccination programme for SNAs of children with special needs? Whatever needs to be done to reopen special classes must be done.

I wrote previously to the Minister for Health to request that he ensure that Covid-19 vaccines are made a priority for the principal carers of elderly people and people with medical needs. Over the past month I have been contacted by several families who are angry and frustrated that vaccines are not being made a priority for carers who are looking after elderly parents or persons with medical needs. Even though these carers work in the home, they should still be viewed as front-line healthcare workers because their work of giving full-time care to loved ones is vital. When services were shut down family carers continued to care around the clock to ensure their loved ones stayed safe at home and out of hospital. These carers are terrified that they could get Covid-19 and transmit it to their vulnerable family members, because who will mind those family members if their principal carers get sick? While some family carers will fall into the categories outlined for priority due to age or their own health conditions, many will not. Family carers and home helps cannot be allowed to be forgotten.

I will conclude with a simple message and one we must continue to reiterate. For people to stay safe they must wash their hands, wear a mask and keep their distance.