We move to Questions on Promised Legislation, in respect of which 34 Deputies have indicated.

Last week I raised with the Taoiseach the urgency of affording priority for vaccination to family carers. He told me that advice and guidance on this had been sought from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee, NIAC, by the Minister for Health. It is very disappointing and concerning that family carers are still left at the back of the queue for vaccination. Why is that the case? I am asking the Taoiseach directly if he will correct the position in this regard. Has the Government received that advice from the NIAC?

What happens to those who are being cared for if family carers fall sick? I reminded the Taoiseach last week that there are some 500,000 family carers and that they save the State €20 billion annually, which is just a financial measure of the care they provide.

I regret to have to say this but I must ask the Deputy why she is playing politics with this.

I am not. I am asking a question. It is my job.

No, it is not right to seek political advantage and say one is for every group to go up the list, and so on. I understand the position relating to carers like everyone else in the House. I stated that NIAC advises the Government. We can make inputs and engage in consideration but NIAC advises, that is the point I made last week. The correspondence in question relates to adults with underlying conditions. Deputies raised genuine concerns about conditions such as cystic fibrosis and Parkinson's. People felt that those with certain conditions should be moved up the list because they would be more vulnerable to getting Covid. I refer to those who have had heart or kidney transplants, people on dialysis and so on. The Minister wrote to NIAC to ask it to examine the sequencing relating to the different groups. NIAC has returned with a recommendation on those with underlying conditions-----

Please, we have only a minute for each question.

We are not asking for-----

Sorry, Taoiseach, the time is up.

People should respect NIAC. We are no experts.

Sorry, Taoiseach, the time is up.