Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has yet to receive his first dose of the vaccine. The 45-year-old Minister, who has responsibility for the Covid-19 vaccination programme said in the Dáil that "I have registered for mine but have not been given a date yet".
His remark, an aside during the debate on the vaccination programme, came as half the adult population is expected to have received their first vaccine dose by the end of this week.
Mr Donnelly who is in the 45-49 age cohort who have just begun to register, was responding to Sinn Féin TD Réada Cronin who said “I am one of the many very lucky people who have received their first dose of the vaccine”.
The Kildare North TD was one of a number of Deputies who spoke of getting the vaccine and praised those involved in providing the process.
She said that “on the day of my visit, the efficiency of the staff was outstanding and I would like to recognise that and thank them here in the Dáil”.
Mr Donnelly said he agreed with her wholeheartedly about the efficiency and progress of the vaccination programme which “is moving at pace.”
He was delighted the she had received her first dose, adding that “I have registered for mine but have not been given a date yet”.
People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny who also received his first vaccine on Wednesday in Citywest described it as a great experience. “I was a little emotional about it because the last 15 months have been extremely difficult for a lot of people in this country.”
“There is a huge collective effort to vaccinate people and I commend everybody involved in the programme. We are all so grateful for the rollout of the vaccine and I hope it is a great success.”
Independent Galway TD Sean Canney said "the feel-good factor around the country from everybody who has been vaccinated is palpable".
Expressing her happiness at receiving her first dose, Ms Cronin was however concerned about vaccine hesitancy particularly in the 25-34 age group.
“Every time one of us gets the vaccine, every one of us is a little safer,” she said, but warned that “almost one in 10 people in the 25 to 34 age group will not take the vaccine, which is concerning”.
The Minister said the department was constantly monitoring this issue adding however that the uptake for vaccination “has been very positive”.
He said “there has been very little of it online compared with some other countries and that is because we have people who have been constantly calling out much of the false information that has been circulated.
“We are doing well by European and international standards,” but he acknowledged that “ we need to keep engaging, particularly with younger populations”.
