I will opt for a back-and-forth exchange with the Minister. Supply is the issue at the moment. If we had a supply of vaccines a lot of the issues that are arising would not arise. I want straightforward answers. We talk about what is happening outside the EU, but I want to talk about within the Union because that is the procurement process we signed up to. Is the issue with the European Commission and the manufacturers and suppliers of the vaccine or is it with how Ireland is dealing with the suppliers of the vacci…

My question for the Minister is whether the issue is with us. If the issue at the moment is that we are not getting our pro rata share from the manufacturers of the vaccine a couple of things need to happen. The Minister must have a direct meeting with the suppliers of the vaccine. There must be a meeting with the European health ministers on the issue and there is also a need for a collective meeting of those Ministers with the suppliers and manufacturers of the vaccine. Could the Minister give those commitments? …

Does the Taoiseach not find it extraordinary that 16 individuals in Davy made a substantial gain back in 2014 on the same Anglo Irish Bank bonds on which many ordinary people lost their life savings? The director of finance in the Central Bank told the finance committee yesterday that she could find no evidence of criminal activity in this matter. How do we reconcile a situation whereby if someone goes to a shop and steals a slice of bread, it is a criminal activity, but stealing and making money off Anglo Irish Ba…

As the Minister is aware, the Limerick vaccination centre is technically based in Clare at the Radisson. What would be the process by which the Minister would expedite the roll-out of the vaccine with an additional mass vaccination centre based within the boundaries of Limerick city and county? We have had 17,000 vaccines delivered to Limerick to date. I believe this is way behind other areas. It would make much sense at this point to publish a breakdown of the cohorts by county. It would provide a transparent syst…

There was a question on the breakdown by county in terms of cohorts of vaccines being given out and a weekly breakdown of that.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and I welcome the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, to the House. I have had a chance to look through this legislation on the Land Development Agency. The basic objective of the agency is a very good one. I will make a number of observations on it. The Minister will appreciate that I am from the constituency of Limerick City where we have had Limerick regeneration. It was, in a way, a form of mini-LDA. From the experience we have had with the Limerick regeneration, I will make a number of …

Will the national task force for vaccinations review the Limerick situation? We will have a very good facility in the Radisson but it is based in County Clare. The task force needs to look at the provision of another vaccination centre within the area of Limerick City and County Council. I note there is provision for a review and for additional capacity to be provided. I ask that the Tánaiste requests the national task force for vaccinations to look into the matter.

I wish to speak on a similar matter.

I agree with my colleague. I have raised this matter with the Ceann Comhairle. We need a process for the Order of Business whereby people have certainty in being able to function and being able to raise issues of the day. It is an issue I have raised previously and I support my colleague, Deputy Bruton.

I will use my time for a question and the Tánaiste might answer in the short time available. I have already flagged this issue to his office. It is about Rehab Enterprises in Limerick and concerns 37 jobs for people with disabilities, many of whom have been working there for many years. They receive supports through the wage subsidy scheme but they receive that over a long period, not specific to Covid. Are there any circumstances whereby such an enterprise may qualify for supports under Covid to ensure these jobs …

I have written to the HSE seeking details of the allocation of vaccines to all hospitals in the State. I was waiting for two weeks and got a very general and meandering response back from the HSE that basically said it was allocated based on various criteria. Will the Minister confirm this? The HSE said the criteria were given to hospital groups in the first week in January in a pilot scheme to level 4 hospitals: St. James's Hospital, Beaumont, Cork and Galway. There was no mention of Limerick. University Hospital …

I have two final questions. Will the Minister follow up? I believe that when the vaccines are being allocated we need to get a disproportionate number of vaccines to catch up with the other agencies. I will conclude on a more general question. What will the situation be when people get the first and second dose of vaccine? Where does the Minister see it playing out over the next 12 months? How long does the vaccination last? Will we be into a cycle of the vaccine being rolled out every year? What is the plan for ro…

On driving tests, the biggest problem is that the number of testers being taken on will not be sufficient. It is proposed to take on 140 testers who will do six tests per day. Even if we had a further 40 testers and all testers doing eight tests per day, the extra 180 testers would do 1,400 tests per day and it would still take a year to clear the waiting list of 64,000. More testers are needed. We need a plan of action so that when we come out of level 5, we will have enough testers in place to ensure we can get t…

I want to deal with a number of issues. The Minister might answer my question on the first and I will then ask my follow-up question. I very much welcome his announcement on Limerick's Live 95FM this morning that the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road will proceed as planned in its entirety. It is a good news day for Limerick. Common sense has prevailed and I thank the Minister very much for making that announcement. It brings huge clarity and certainty to Moyross, the north side of the city and Limerick city overall wi…

A submission has come up from Limerick City and County Council. It has to be signed off by the Minister to allow it appoint a preferred bidder so we can get the road works physically under way. When will that be signed off by him?

I welcome that. Shannon Airport is a big issue for us. We had the union representatives for the entire airline industry in before our committee yesterday. There is serious concern about the future for their members. Is the Minister looking at a plan to inject further specific direct investment into airlines to support them through this pandemic and allow them come out of it intact? Also, when does the Minister anticipate that he will be making the announcement regarding the appointment of a new chairperson of the b…

The Taoiseach is probably familiar with the Coonagh to Knockalisheen road in Limerick. It is one of only 13 projects specifically mentioned to progress during the national development plan. Furthermore, 30% of the project has already been spent, that is €17 million out of €58 million, with advanced works already concluded. We can see that works have been done. Page 26 of the programme for Government states the process of review of the national development plan and updating of the national planning framework will no…

The big issue with the vaccine now is supply. Will the Minister indicate the level of supply coming into Ireland over the next month, by week and company?

For the public, is the Minister saying that we are getting 40,000 of Pfizer, there will be 40,000 next week and 40,000 thereafter? If approved, what type of level will the first order be from AstraZeneca?

UHL is in my area of the mid-west. It has only received 3,400 vaccines to date. The South/South-West Hospital Group appears to have over 19,000 to administer. When the next roll-out comes, the mid-west share must balance that. Dentists are front-line workers. Dentists have been calling me and they are petrified about Covid. They deal with patients everyday and they do not know whether or not they have Covid. They along with pharmacists need to be treated in the same way as GPs. Why has the roll-out of vaccines been…