Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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147. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the engagement her Department has had with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure the booster vaccine roll-out includes the prison population given the nature of the congregated setting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57787/21]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service continues to engage with Public Health/Health Services Executive with regard to access to the Covid-19 booster vaccine.

Prisoners will receive their booster vaccinations in line with the roll of the booster vaccination in the general community.

The Deputy will be aware that a prison vaccination programme commenced on a prison by prison basis in June this year and Covid-19 vaccinations were administered to all prisoners who wished to avail of them by the National Ambulance Service and Prison Service healthcare teams.

The vast majority of prisoners availed of the vaccine with over 85% of the prison population being vaccinated. Since then vaccination clinics have continued in prisons to provide Covid-19 vaccinations to new committals or those who are to receive either a first or second dose.