James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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780. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans to put in place a medical exemption certificate for those who have been advised against getting a Covid-19 vaccine for medical reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51986/21]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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795. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) in relation to Covid-19 vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52037/21]

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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917. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place for persons who cannot take any of the Covid-19 vaccines for medical reasons and have not contracted Covid-19 to be able to dine indoors. [52460/21]

Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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918. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address concerns that a person (details supplied) who has been medically assessed and certified as unsuitable to receive a Covid-19 vaccine is being denied access to a written exemption, thus preventing them from accessing various services and facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52466/21]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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925. To ask the Minister for Health if a person can avail of indoor dining under the EU Digital COVID Certificate requirements in cases in which they received one Covid-19 vaccination which resulted in a severe medical reaction and has been advised not to take a second dose by a medical practitioner. [52486/21]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1001. To ask the Minister for Health the considerations that are being made for those who are medically certified and advised not to take a Covid-19 vaccine in view of the fact that the use of Covid certificates is now not being discontinued as originally flagged on 22 October 2021; his views on whether such medically certified citizens should be able to avail of some level of Covid-19 pass even weekly or fortnightly antigen testing is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52841/21]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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1101. To ask the Minister for Health if there are plans in place to address the fact that persons with myocarditis cannot get the Covid-19 vaccine and therefore do not qualify for an EU Digital COVID Certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53276/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 780, 795, 917, 918, 925, 1001 and 1101 together.

The current high level of COVID-19 infection and the dominance of the significantly more transmissible Delta variant poses a very substantial threat, particularly to those who are not fully protected through vaccination. Public health advice remains that those who are not fully vaccinated should avoid congregated indoor settings for their own and others safety.

The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021 on the continuing response to COVID-19 and the extension of Covid Pass arrangements. The matter is being given further consideration.

The Deputies may wish to be aware that on 15 July, NIAC made a recommendation, which was endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer and accepted by the Minister for Health that while the preference was for homologous vaccination regimens (using the same vaccine as part of a two dose regime) that selective use of heterologous vaccination schedules (two different vaccines used as part of two dose regime) should be permitted where a second vaccine dose of a homologous regimen is contraindicated, irrespective of whether the first dose was an mRNA or adenoviral vector vaccine. NIAC in conjunction with the RCPI and the Irish Association of Allergy and Immunology have prepared a guide to aid vaccinators and other healthcare workers on how to advise allergic individuals in respect of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, this guide is available here: rcpi-live-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/FAQs-about-COVID19-Vaccines-and-Allergies_12August2021.pdf

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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781. To ask the Minister for Health if he will report on the status of the system for managing exemptions to the Covid-19 vaccine relative to the Covid-19 vaccine pass in cases in which a person has a valid medical reason for being unable to get the vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51991/21]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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796. To ask the Minister for Health his Department’s plans to set up a system for medical exemption to the EU Digital COVID Certificate for persons who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons or in cases of an adverse reaction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52039/21]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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924. To ask the Minister for Health the options available to those who have been medically advised not to take the Covid-19 vaccine to avail of the EU COVID Digital Certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52482/21]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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944. To ask the Minister for Health if he in consultation with the HSE will allow EU Digital COVID Certificates to be issued for persons who through no fault of their own are unable to receive a second vaccination due to health issues as a result from a severe reactions to the first vaccination and have been advised by their doctor such as in the case of a person (details supplied) not to do so. [52602/21]

Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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987. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the of the number of persons that are unable to get vaccinated due to medical complications and are unable to obtain an EU Digital COVID Certificate to enable them to access premises that require same; if allowances can be made for these persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52775/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 781, 796, 924, 944 and 987 together.

The EU Digital COVID Certificate is a document which is issued to help facilitate enable the safe and free international movement of people across the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to note that the possession of an EU Digital COVID Certificate is not a pre-condition to travel.

The underpinning EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation concerns the issuing and verification of certificates for medical events including vaccination, recovery, and testing related to COVID-19. The EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation, and subsequent associated national regulations, do not allow for the issuing of a certificate for individuals who have not had a medical event as outlined.

Individuals may request a Digital COVID Certificate as proof of a single dose of vaccination given in Ireland if they wish.

The National Public Health Emergency Team gave some consideration to the issues arising for those people that can’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons as part of its discussions on the 18th October 2021. The matter is being given further consideration.