Tully "alarmed" by Taoiseach's claim SF were politicising vaccine roll-out
VACCINE Clarity still needed on position of people with disabilities claims Sinn Féin
A Sinn Féín TD claims she is “alarmed” by the Taoiseach's assertion the party was “engaging in politics” when debating the Vaccine Allocation Sequencing Plan.
The Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Disability and Carers, Pauline Tully, had sought clarification from Taoiseach Micheál Martin on the position of people with disabilities regarding the published plan.
The Cavan-Monaghan deputy had told the Dáil that it was “to the extreme disappointment of many that people with disabilities were not mentioned” in the Covid-19 Vaccine Allocation Strategy. She proceeded to outline how many people with disabilities had suffered disproportionately during the pandemic.
Responding, the Taoiseach noted a “consistent theme emanating from Sinn Féin that we are discriminating against people with disabilities on the vaccine sequencing – that's not true.”
He suggested Sinn Féin were “engaging in” politics with the issue.
“It's not a very nice form of politics to be playing that sort of line now.”
The Taoiseach then outlined that the National Immunisation Advisory Committee had made the sequencing recommendations to NPHET, with elderly people in a residential setting first in line.
“People with underlying conditions are right up there, and it will be clinical decisions in terms of speaking to your GP that will decide the type of vaccine and when you should get a vaccine.
“This is not about politics, it's not about government wanting to discriminate against one group or another. The National Immunisation Advisory Committee have advised in relation to the sequencing – it is a live document,” he told the Dáil.
Deputy Tully however was “alarmed and deeply disappointed” by the Taoiseach's response to what she said was “a reasonable and valid question posed by many groups within the disability sector”.
She insisted that his accusation that Sinn Féin were politicising the issue is “plainly ridiculous and should be withdrawn”. She countered that the Taoiseach was deflecting from the issue.
On the Taoiseach's point that people with underlying conditions are high up on the priority list - and that includes people with disabilities – Deputy Tully insisted clarity was still needed.
“The provisional vaccine allocation groups guide does not, however, include an ‘underlying conditions’ category,” she said. “Number seven in the provisional order provides for People aged 18-64 with certain medical conditions. This needs clarification.”
She concluded: “People with disabilities, their families and carers needed clarity that they will be prioritised in the Vaccine Allocation Sequencing Plan.”