Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
592. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Health if he will consider a training programme for all medical, pharmacy and veterinarian personnel, nursing students, the Army and other appropriate groups, requesting the use of general practitioners' surgeries out of hours in advance of a Covid-19 vaccine becoming available in order to prepare for mass vaccination. [41221/20]
View answerIreland is currently involved in an EU Procurement Exercise being operated by the European Commission on behalf of member states to procure a portfolio of suitable, safe and effective vaccines, in sufficient quantities, to combat COVID-19.
I can assure the Deputy of the Government's commitment to the timely implementation of a COVID-19 immunisation programme, as soon as one or more of these vaccines in the portfolio are approved for use.
In this regard, a cross-Government High-Level Taskforce has been established to support and oversee the development and implementation of the programme. Decisions on who will administer the vaccine and the associated training required are amongst the range of matters that will be addressed in the context of the work of the Taskforce and the State agencies and other stakeholders with which it will work.
