Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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1110. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons in each of the vaccination categories for cohorts 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9; and the number of persons that are in the 70 to 74 years and 75 to 79 years cohorts. [17276/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland’s COVID-19 vaccination programme strategy is to distribute all available vaccine as quickly as is operationally possible, prioritising those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

The programme is based on the principles of safety, effectiveness and fairness, with the objective of reducing severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from COVID-19 infection.

To date over 800,000 vaccine doses have been administered. Vaccination of cohort 1 and 2 are now substantially complete. Further information on vaccines administered to cohort groups is available on the HSE Integrated Information Service - vaccination programme dashboard at:

Vaccination of the over 70s in cohort 3 and those aged 16-69 and at very high risk of severe illness and death in cohort 4 is ongoing. Work is continuing on the stratification of subsequent groups and assessing the number of people encompassed by each group.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1111. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the conclusions of the HSE investigation into a reported data breach in relation to the Covid-19 vaccine database; if this has been reported to the Data Protection Commissioner; the type of investigation carried out by the HSE; if a data protection impact assessment has been conducted since the breach; the steps taken to protect persons’ data and privacy in relation to the breach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17277/21]

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.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1112. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons that have access to the Covid-19 vaccination database; the roles of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17278/21]

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.

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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1113. To ask the Minister for Health if he has instructed or requested the NIAC to evaluate family carers with regard to the ethical principles for the vaccine roll-out considering their role as health and social care providers as per the national carers strategy and their place in the provisional allocation groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17279/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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.

On the 23^rdof February, I announced an update to Ireland’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy. In comprising the initial Vaccine Allocation Strategy, the NIAC listed several conditions associated with increased risk of severe disease and death. In the intervening period, national and international evidence has become available which has enabled a more detailed analysis of underlying conditions that may increase the risk of developing severe disease or death. The NIAC has now been able to more comprehensively identify those medical conditions and to distinguish between those which place a person at very high or high risk of severe disease if they contract the virus. Medical conditions and the magnitude of the risk they pose will continue to be monitored and periodically reviewed.

On the 30^thof March, the Government approved a further update to the COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Strategy. Based on clinical, scientific and ethical frameworks produced by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee and my Department, following the vaccination of those most at risk, future groups will be vaccinated by age, in cohorts of 10 years (i.e., 64-55; 54-45, etc.).

The move to an age-based model better supports the programme objectives by:

- protecting those at highest risk of severe disease first, which benefits everyone most;

- facilitating planning and execution of the programme across the entire country;

- improving transparency and fairness.

Further details are available here:

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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1114. To ask the Minister for Health the number of doses of Covid-19 vaccine by type held in storage (details supplied) as of 24 March 2021; if such data can be updated regularly on the Covid-19 data hub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17283/21]

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.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1115. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ambulances which are being used in the home vaccination programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17284/21]

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.