Family carers from across the country are calling on the government and the HSE to include them in a 'vaccination priority group' so they can protect their loved ones against Covid-19.
Last week, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly responded to questions about the issue in the Dáil and the issue was raised once again yesterday by Waterford Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane.
Today I raised the issue of the vaccine rollout for family carers. Carers who work for the HSE & private providers are in category 2. Family carers are not seen as a distinct cohort by this Government & yet they are with the Flu Vaccine. They cannot be forgotten. @CarersIreland pic.twitter.com/OUXtejOAVD
— David Cullinane T.D. (@davidcullinane) January 28, 2021
This day 12 months ago a three-year-old boy from Ferrybank called Ollie was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Since then his father David has become his full-time carer.
David Nolan will be in the final tier of the vaccination rollout due to his age. He is one of the 500,000 people in Ireland today who are caring for a family member.
David, and Catherine Cox from Family Carers Ireland spoke to Aoife Kearns from WLR News on this morning's Déise Today.
You can listen back here:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/family-carers-call-covid-vaccine-rollout
