Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
709. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Health if healthcare assistants and social care workers are being considered as vaccinators during the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10983/21]
View answer716. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the professions which are generally qualified or permitted to administer vaccinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10993/21]
View answer717. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the professions which are permitted to administer Covid-19 vaccinations; the reason phlebotomists, healthcare assistants, social care workers, and others who could be trained to administer these vaccines are not included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10994/21]
View answer743. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will bring forward amendments to Statutory Instrument No. 698 of 2020 to allow dentists to administer the Covid-19 vaccine; if he will endeavour to obtain approval from an association (details supplied) for this measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11107/21]
View answer788. Deputy Malcolm Noonan asked the Minister for Health the reason dentists were not included in the list of those personnel who can administer Covid-19 vaccinations. [11279/21]
View answer933. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Health when he expects dentists and qualified dental hygienists to be utilised to help the national vaccination effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11831/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 709, 716, 717, 743, 788 and 933 together.
The HSE are building and deploying its workforce in order to be prepared for the requirements associated with rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine programme.
The vaccine roll-out is being conducted on a 7-day week basis and to date, more than 8,600 staff have received training to operate as vaccinators. To support the expanded immunisation programme the HSE launched a vaccinator recruitment campaign last week.
GPs, Pharmacists, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and many healthcare professionals, will have a role to play in the vaccination programme.
In addition, on Tuesday 23 February 2021, I signed the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021. The purpose of these amending Regulations is to add registered optometrists and registered dentists to the list of professionals who may supply and administer Covid-19 vaccinations.
