On several occasions, I have raised with the Taoiseach the need to give priority to the vaccination of family carers. I am disappointed they are still being ignored by the Taoiseach's Government. I said before that family carers are not looking to gazump anybody else, but they believe they deserve a level of priority and special mention beyond the general population. Their big concern is that they provide care for vulnerable people in their family homes. If the carers fall sick, then who will pick up those responsibilities? That is the issue.

I appeal to the Taoiseach to do the right thing, to be reasonable and fair, to hear the voices of family carers and to give them visibility and their place in the vaccination programme. The Taoiseach told me before that he would seek advice and guidance on this matter. I do not know if he has received that advice and guidance, but I ask him, as the Head of Government, to do the right thing by family carers.

I again take issue with the language being used by Deputy McDonald. To suggest that a deserving group like family carers is being ignored is again playing politics with the vaccination programme. The national immunisation advisory committee, NIAC, has consistently advised the Government regarding the prioritisation of groups that should be vaccinated. It is based on those who are the most vulnerable and at the greatest risk of becoming severely ill or dying from the disease.

NIAC will continue to advise the Government regarding the prioritisation of those cohorts. The most recent significant advice came last week concerning those with underlying health conditions. Those people were moved up the list in accordance with the clinical advice, and again based on the principles of prioritising those people who are the most vulnerable to disease and death. NIAC continues to look at other cohorts in this regard. I think it is wrong, however, for the Deputy to state that the Government is deliberately ignoring a certain group. We certainly are not.

I thank the Taoiseach, but his time is up. I call Deputy Alan Kelly.