Written answers

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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662. To ask the Minister for Health the funding that has been allocated to the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine to ensure significant vaccination is achieved early in 2021. [39761/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme, as soon as one or more vaccines in the EU portfolio are approved for use. In this regard, a cross-Government High-Level Taskforce has been established to support and oversee the development and implementation of the programme.

Should a vaccine(s) becomes available, necessary funding will be provided.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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663. To ask the Minister for Health the logistics experts that have been placed on the group responsible for rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine. [39762/20]

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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664. To ask the Minister for Health the distribution experts that have been placed on the group responsible for rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine. [39763/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 664 and 663 together.

The Government is committed to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme, as soon as one or more vaccines in the EU portfolio are approved for use. In this regard, a cross-Government High-Level Taskforce, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, has been established to support and oversee the development and implementation of the programme.

The Task Force membership is made up of senior personnel from my Department, the Health Service Executive, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Office of Government Procurement, IDA Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of the Taoiseach, as well as expertise in the areas of public health, supply chain logistics, cold chain logistics, and programme management. The membership of the group will, if necessary, be further adapted to ensure that it has access to the expertise it requires to fulfil its remit.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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665. To ask the Minister for Health if the group responsible for rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine will hold a daily press conference to report on progress. [39764/20]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme, as soon as one or more vaccines in the EU portfolio are approved for use. In this regard, a cross-Government High-Level Taskforce has been established to support and oversee the development and implementation of the programme.

In the first instance the Task Force has been requested to ensure the preparation of a national COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy and Implementation Plan for consideration by Government. The Task Force's work includes consideration of the approach to public engagement and communication as a crucial dimension of the planning and delivery of an immunisation programme.

The public communication and engagement strategy has two main phases. The first is preparing for the vaccine - briefing the public about the safety and regulatory processes that are taking place in Ireland, Europe and across the world to ensure vaccine safety, engaging with people who have genuine hesitancies around the vaccine and communicating the Government Plan from acquisition to prioritisation to distribution. The second phase will focus on the execution of the programme once vaccine is available – encouraging the public to get the vaccine, informing them about who will administer it and where, and providing information on the progress of the programme on an ongoing basis.

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