Indoor sports vaccine passes
Deputy Tóibín described children being barred from sports and trips because they lacked vaccine passes and argued the rule was discriminatory and ineffective. The Tánaiste said vaccines reduce transmission and hospitalisation, and began to address the indoor sports rules in response.
A father told me today that his 12-year-old, 14-year-old and 16-year-old children have been banned from playing basketball because they have no vaccine pass. A volleyball coach in County Mayo was told not to accept girls between the ages of 12 and 17 if they do not have a vaccine pass. A kickboxing coach was also told not to accept children for the same reasons. A young girl was stopped from going on a school trip because she had no vaccine pass.
First of all, discrimination is wrong. Second, it makes no sense. Transmission of Covid-19 is happening between people who are vaccinated. If the Government wants to stop transmission, antigen testing is the way to do it. It also does not have the effect of discriminating against people. Children have suffered so much during the Covid pandemic. Their education has been hammered and their social development has been radically arrested over the last year. It is incredible that they are now facing being othered, segregated and banned from doing things that are good for their physical and mental health. It is wrong, cruel and useless. Will the Tánaiste reverse it?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. It is important to say at the outset that the vaccines do reduce transmission. They do not eliminate it, but they do reduce it. It is one of the reasons why it is in people's interest to get vaccinated. It will reduce the risk of them transmitting the virus to other people, as well as considerably reducing the risk of them being hospitalised, needing intensive care or dying as a consequence of contracting the virus. Obviously, these are decisions that individuals have to make and parents have to make with respect to their children.
In relation to the issue of indoor sports, it has been raised a couple of times. A number of Deputies raised it earlier. I have committed to seeking a further examination of the regulations. My understanding is that if there is a mixed group of children, some of whom are vaccinated and some are not, it is possible for them to train and do activities in pods. As I said, I will follow up on the issue.