Younger people will not be bumped up vaccine queue, Donnelly confirms

Ireland will deliver 'about 80%' of vaccines to adults by the end of June, slightly lower than previous target

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said it is possible up to 450,000 vaccines per week could be delivered, if supplies increase. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said the Government will deliver “about 80%” of vaccines to adults by the end of June, in a softening of the previous target of 82% given by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

He said it is possible that 450,000 vaccines a week could be delivered but that it is dependent on supply.

Mr Donnelly also said it could be possible for vaccine centres could be run 24 hours a day. 

"If we needed to run them late at night, early in the morning, then we can do that.

"But we all know that it's been very bumpy and we had some very serious downward revisions from AstraZeneca, for example, which made it more difficult.

"Then we got an extra big shipment in from Pfizer which we weren't expecting.

"As things stand today, if we get the vaccines in according to schedule, and if we keep getting them out as soon as they come into the country, then we then we will be at around 80% at the end of June,” he said.

Speaking on Ireland AM on Virgin Media TV, Mr Donnelly said the vaccine rollout will continue to be rolled out based on age and will not see younger categories bumped up.

Nursing homes

Mr Donnelly said the practice of younger people ending up in nursing homes is not acceptable.

Speaking in response to the latest report from Ombudsman Peter Tyndall,
which found 1,300 people under the age of 65 are living “wasted lives” in nursing homes that are inappropriate for their needs.

In Wasted Lives: Time for a better future for younger people in nursing homes, to be published on Wednesday, Mr Tyndall says “systemic issues” and a “fractured funding model” have left hundreds of people confined to the homes, often against their wishes.

Mr Donnelly said it is a practice that needs to end. 

“I agree, it's a practice that's been here for too long, and it needs to end and so we're put we're putting money behind it.

"What I would like to see is as many as possible living at home, because most people want to be at home."

Minimum alcohol pricing

Speaking about the plan to introduce minimum alcohol pricing, Mr Donnelly said: “This is going after the very strong, really, really cheap alcohol, so for example, the multiples who sell their own brand €12 bottle of gin or a bottle of vodka,” he said.

This is a very targeted measure that goes after the alcohol that is associated with harmful drinking and addiction, he said.