Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Minister for Health if there have been communications from medical representative groups or other lobbyists seeking exclusivity on the provision of vaccinations to an age group, to a group of persons with underlying medical conditions or a group of persons within a specific geographic region thereby impacting the pace of vaccine roll-out due to the exclusion of other qualified persons capable and willing to vaccinate for Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6260/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has received communication from groups seeking to participate in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

The National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, which outlines Ireland’s high-level plan for safe, effective, and efficient vaccination of the population, while safeguarding continued provision of health and social care services.

The Strategy, which was prepared by the High-Level Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccination, was signed off by Cabinet on 15 December 2020.

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

In this regard over 5,400 staff have received training to operate as vaccinators, and workforce planning for vaccinators to enable scale-up is currently underway.

The vaccination programme will be expanded as new supplies arrive in Ireland. GPs, Pharmacists, all doctors, nurses, paramedics, nursing home staff and many healthcare professionals will have a role to play in the vaccination programme.