Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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274. To ask the Minister for Health if therapeutic staff for children with complex needs will be redeployed in any capacity in relation to the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4832/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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275. To ask the Minister for Health the position of dialysis patients in the allocation group for Covid-19 vaccines given that they are regularly in hospital and the increased risk to them of the transmission of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4833/21]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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281. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to review the vaccination priority for transplant and dialysis patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4852/21]

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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284. To ask the Minister for Health if transplant recipients and patients undergoing dialysis are to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccine; the vaccination group they are in; and when they can expect to receive a vaccination.. [4870/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 275, 281 and 284 together.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy sets out a provisional list of groups for vaccination. The Strategy was developed by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and my Department, endorsed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), and approved by Government on 8 December 2020.

Vaccine allocation is a matter for my Department and further information is available here: .

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is the responsibility of the HSE.

The aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to ensure, over time, that vaccine will become available to vaccinate all of those for whom the vaccine is indicated. Given that there will be initially limited vaccines available, it will take some time for all to receive those vaccines and that has necessitated an allocation strategy to ensure that those most at risk of death and serious illness receive the vaccine first.

The priority is to first vaccinate and protect directly the most vulnerable amongst us, that is, those most likely to have a poor outcome if they contract the virus. The priority is to directly use vaccines to save lives and reduce serious illness, hence the focus on the over 65 year old cohort in long term residential care facilities, and healthcare workers in frontline services often caring for the most vulnerable.

The next group to be vaccinated are those aged 70 and older in the following order: 85 and older, 80-84, 75-79, and 70-74. Vaccination of this group will begin in February (subject to regulatory approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine).

All of the groups will be covered as further vaccine supplies become available and the immunisation programme is rolled out nationally.

The evidence will be kept under review and the allocation groups may be updated, where necessary, in light of new evidence.