Vol. 1005 Thursday, No. 2 11 March 2021 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 148 Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders’ Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 176 11/03/2021Q00500Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 184 11/03/2021T02475Statement by An Taoiseach� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 193 11/03/2021U01200Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 195 11/03/2021U01700An Bille um Cheathrú Chultúir 1916, 2021: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 196 11/03/2021W00100Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage� � � � 197 11/03/2021W00400Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages � � � 198 11/03/2021W01600Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Order for Report Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 199 11/03/2021W01900Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 199 Gnó na Dála - Business of Dáil � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 216 11/03/2021GG00100Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: From the Seanad � � � 216 11/03/2021HH00100Housing Shared Equity Loan Scheme: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 217 11/03/2021JJ00100Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 227 11/03/2021KK00100Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 229 Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 230 11/03/2021VV01100Young People and Access to Further and Higher Education: Motion [Private Members] � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 248 11/03/2021GGG00350Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 279 11/03/2021GGG00400Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 280 11/03/2021GGG00500Medical Cards � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 280 11/03/2021HHH00600Drug Dealing � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 282 11/03/2021KKK00200School Enrolments � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 286 11/03/2021LLL00400Gorse Burning � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 289 DÁIL ÉIREANN Déardaoin, 11 Márta 2021 Thursday, 11 March 2021 Chuaigh an Leas-Cheann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10 a�m� Paidir. Prayer. 1A00100Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements 11/03/2021A00200Minister for Health (Deputy Stephen Donnelly): I am sharing time with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler� I believe we would all agree that Ireland’s Covid-19 vaccination programme is the most ambitious public health initiative ever undertaken by the State� Following the considerable sacrifices made by everyone in taking action to minimise the risk of spreading the disease, the availability of safe and effective vaccines provides a beacon of hope for a return to some nor- mality� The vaccines protect the lives of those most vulnerable to Covid and will allow us to enjoy again and see the value of things we once took for granted� By the end of last week, over 500,000 doses of vaccines had been administered� This is a significant milestone and a reflection of the hard work undertaken by the thousands of women and men across Ireland who are working very hard to implement the programme� The focus to date has necessarily been on older people and healthcare workers� There are strong indicators that the vaccination of this cohort is having very positive benefits. Covid infection rates for hospital workers have fallen by approximately 95%. The number of staff in the nursing home sector absent for reasons related to Covid has fallen from several thousand to several hundred and continues to fall� The latest serial testing results from the nursing home sector showed a positivity rate of just 0�2%, which we can all welcome� Thanks to this, the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, is today giving consideration to protocols on visitation. I know this is tremendously important to residents, families and staff. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I have been working closely together on this issue and we are look- ing forward to discussing the situation with the acting chief medical officer later today. The next phase of the programme, which started this week, sees vaccines being made avail- able to those with underlying medical conditions which place them at very high risk from Co- vid� In addition, the programme this week is focused on second doses in nursing homes; a small final group of those aged 85 and older, including those who are housebound; healthcare work- 148 11 March 2021 ers, for whom the administration of the first dose will be finished next week; and some initial roll-out to those aged 80 to 84� There is, therefore, a lot of activity ongoing around the country� There is, understandably, a lot of focus on vaccine supply� Ambitious targets and optimism with regard to the pace of regulatory approval of candidate vaccines have come up against the realities of vaccine production and supply� This can make us lose sight of the merits of Ireland’s engagement with the EU’s procurement process� Ireland has opted into advance purchase agreements negotiated by the European Commission on behalf of member states� Through this mechanism, we have advance purchase agreements in place for seven different vaccines. These include the three vaccines currently being administered in Ireland, a fourth, the Janssen vac- cine, which we hope will be authorised by the European Medicines Agency, EMA, later today, and three others which are currently being reviewed by the EMA� We have pre-ordered a little under 18�5 million doses of vaccine� This is enough to vaccinate every man, woman and child in the country twice� We are looking at options to increase this amount via the EU� Just yester- day, an additional delivery of the Pfizer vaccine was secured by the commission, with Ireland due to receive an additional 46,500 vaccine doses this month� This is obviously very welcome� The terms and conditions of these agreements include a requirement that vaccine doses will not be made available for use until the relevant vaccines have received regulatory authorisa- tion� It has always been an underlying principle of the EU’s procurement process that, prior to administration of any given vaccine, assurances should be obtained as to its safety and ef- fectiveness� Some have argued that Ireland should be seeking additional vaccine supplies outside of the EU process, which is a very reasonable argument to make� I assure Deputies that Ireland is in regular contact with pharmaceutical companies, the commission and other countries� It will come as no surprise to my colleagues that other countries are not interested in giving up their own vaccine supplies while they are vaccinating their own people, particularly their most vul- nerable� Ireland is in the same position� It will also come as no surprise that the pharmaceutical companies themselves do not have as yet undeclared supplies not being procured by the EU or other regions or countries around the world� The third argument put forward by some is that we should use vaccines that have not been authorised by our own regulator� The Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, has been mentioned in the House on several occasions� The EMA is conducting a review of the Sputnik V vaccine but it is interesting to note the comments of The Irish Times Europe correspondent, Naomi O’Leary, who said yesterday that “The Italian factory announced as the production site for Russia’s Sputnik vaccine for overseas orders is a small business that has never made vaccines and is not authorised by the Italian Medicines Agency�” On the reliability of supply, Moderna and Pfizer have performed well thus far. AstraZeneca has not� It is repeatedly changing its delivery schedules, often at the last minute, and revising down the volumes it will deliver� This is happening right across Europe� It is deeply frustrat- ing for everybody, with so many people looking to get vaccinated as quickly as possible� We are acutely aware of the anxiety caused when these delivery schedules are not met� It should be noted that the Commission and member states,