Mattie McGrath criticises HSE handling and vaccine rollout

I am happy to speak at this tonight, although I am very critical that we didn't have a question and answer, we didn't have a debate, we defied to it and to have this debate, albeit it's just statements and no answers from the Minister, but I'm glad that the Minister has stayed for this debate, it's the first debate we've had with this, that he's waiting for our group, and your own group, Minister, to hear us, very important that all vices are heard, and we haven't had huge success, I mean I compliment everyone, frontline workers, and all the people, the community, the guard leader, or the fire service, everybody, and the community groups who work so hard, to try and reduce the COVID, and the impact of COVID, I sympathise with all the businesses, and all the ledgerers, and all the musicians, and everybody else that can't operate, but look, I have a huge issue with the HSE, and the way they handled it, I'm not happy that there's no airport testing, and there hasn't been, I'm not happy that countries like Canada, don't let anybody in around, only family, or somebody very close to them, and we have no real follow-up protocols, we have weaknesses, and we have kind of railed against the antigen testing, which could be done, quite simple, and we see people that try to use that, are not allowed, and we see the force of the law, and I'm not criticising the guard, not allowing people, you know, like the public in Galway, so as I said, we've paid huge money to Chinese companies, then, for faulty PPE equipment, so there's huge areas there, Minister, Minister, you have, the teacher told us that he indemnified all the vaccine companies, and that's common practice, I know, but we had no discussion on that, we do live in a democracy, and we haven't had no debate, or discussion yet, about a no fault, compensation scheme for people, if they get ill, or have repercussions from the vaccine, so, also the fact that we were looking to have the powerful Europe, and we're part of it, to buy the vaccines, certainly, but what about the third world countries, we have our respect for all human beings, they're not going to get it, or how long are they waiting for, and then, I want to see, as the nursing homes minister has been mentioned here, has been first, the nursing homes were treated appallingly, I mean, people were sent in by the HSC, that had, had, had, had the vaccine, and Minister, the flu vaccine, there was 2 million, we were told, and 1.4 million have been accounted for, 600,000 are missing, the HSC has been asked to make a statement, there's different reports, so, now, there's been 8.5 of this vaccine, a million, and 9 million, between that number, how can we fit in a HSC, that's all dysfunctional, that couldn't administer the flu vaccine issue, that 600,000 are being accounted for, so, I have a lot of questions about the rollout of this vaccine, and about how people are, have confidence, and we must win over the people that have concerns, and we must talk to them, engage with them, and it's, it's a, it's a matter for each individual person, with their GP, or with their consultant, if they've necessary, if they're under conditions, if they take this, and this thing that's crept in here, by Deputy Alan Kelly, and others, right into all our colleagues, demanding we answer within a week, I mean, that's bullying, this is democracy, we're all elected, having individual rights here, to represent our people, and ourselves, without being trying to be intimidated, and, and, and being, you showed her down, so, and people, some people tonight too, most people are very respectful, some are just dismissive of anybody, that has any issues, we must bring the people with us, the Natalie Curl de Céila, Marfocan Scorla Las Cancóla, I want to wish you, and indeed, the Cancóla, and all the staff here, and the Minister, and every TD, and, and, and, and, and Sinister, and all the Róxas, and staff, and together, and out in the street, and everybody, to have a happy, holy, and a peaceful Christmas, and look forward to the new year, with hope, gore magut. Gar mil magut, eil jaqte, agus eil jaqte Marian Hartan. Yeah. Given, given, given the importance that the public have correct information, and don't have false information on the vaccines, can I just correct the record of the dole, because Deputy McGrath has just put, misleading and false information on the record, I'll be one second, if I could, beg your indulgence. Minister, just one minute, just, just one minute, there's plenty of time, but I'm going to let in Deputy Harkin, and then there's 10 minutes for the Minister. Not for me, Deputy Rabbit is taking that. You can decide that between you. It's, it's, it's very quick, it's, I want to correct the record of the dole, if I, if I may. Deputy McGrath has stated falsely that the HSE has mislaid 600,000 vaccines. I just want to let the dole know, and the public know, that that is verifiably false information, and Deputy McGrath should not be spreading false information about vaccines in our national parliament. Thank you. Any media reports carry this, and the HSE haven't come back with a comprehensive answer as to where the 600... Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Deputy, yep, you've raised that.