Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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769. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE is contacting the pharmaceutical industry to acquire booster vaccines for autumn 2021 to respond to Covid-19 variants. [9438/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is participating in a Procurement Exercise being operated by the European Commission on behalf of Member States to procure suitable, safe and effective vaccines, in sufficient quantities, to combat COVID-19. Six Advance Purchase Agreements (APA) have been negotiated by the Commission under this process to date. Ireland has opted-in to five APAs to secure vaccine supplies: BioNTech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen/J&J and CureVac. Government approval has been obtained to opt-into the sixth APA (GSK/Sanofi Pasteur), subject to the outcome of future clinical trial results.  

Ireland has opted-in to pro rata allocation of BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Ireland has also secured additional doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine via options and top up contracts, which will bring the current total of BioNTech/Pfizer doses secured to 5.49 million doses. Ireland has signalled interest in obtaining 1.64 million additional doses of the Moderna vaccine through a top-up contract.

Ireland now expects to receive a total of 1.2 million doses of the three approved vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca) from the start of the vaccination programme to the end of March.

Ireland has also indicated its intention to opt-in to additional APAs with Valneva and Novavax vaccines.

Overall, Ireland has opted-in to contracts for a total of 18.5m doses. 

The new European bio-defence preparedness plan against COVID-19 variants called “HERA Incubator” will work with researchers, biotech companies, manufacturers and public authorities in the EU and globally to detect new variants, provide incentives to develop new and adapted vaccines, speed up the approval process for these vaccines, and ensure scaling up of manufacturing capacities.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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770. To ask the Minister for Health the level of the Covid-19 vaccination programme at which kidney patients are to be offered the vaccine (details supplied). [9440/21]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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787. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to change the priority category of patients (details supplied) in terms of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9490/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 770 and 787 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 began on the 16th of February.

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.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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771. To ask the Minister for Health the public transport that will be made available to those in north County Kildare who wish to be vaccinated against Covid-19, for example, at Punchestown; if he is liaising with the Minister for Transport in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9441/21]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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778. To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering a vaccination centre in east County Cork due to limited access opportunities to the already announced centres in Cork city. [9466/21]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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800. To ask the Minister for Health if he will announce an additional Covid-19 vaccination centre for Limerick given that the location announced is inaccessible to persons that do not have a car or by public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9552/21]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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821. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which the vaccination clinic locations were chosen; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are none on the northside of Cork city; if consideration was given to a facility on the northside of Cork city; and the reason for the decision not to establish a mass vaccine clinic in this area. [9638/21]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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827. To ask the Minister for Health if he will request that the HSE provide an additional mass vaccination centre for Limerick with strong public transport links; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9651/21]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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972. To ask the Minister for Health if he has given consideration to the travel and public transport difficulties associated with accessing the sole planned Covid-19 vaccination centre in County Mayo; and if Covid-19 vaccination centres will be established in Ballina, Belmullet and Ballyhaunis, County Mayo to give ease of access to vaccination centres for persons in the county. [10138/21]

Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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1008. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a Covid-19 vaccination centre in County Kildare that is accessible via public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10346/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 771, 778, 800, 821, 827, 972 and 1008 together.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.