By Eoghan Dalton
A former junior minister has called on the Bishop of Waterford to publicly address a controversy surrounding his views on the Covid-19 vaccine.
John Halligan has urged Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan to show his support for the vaccine and to encourage others to take the jab.
Bishop Cullinan has previously declined to give his views on the vaccine, describing it as a “personal matter”.
Mr Halligan said this week’s problems with the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been restricted after concerns, makes it all the more crucial that public figures show their support for vaccines.
“I would urge Bishop Cullinan to come out to the people that support him, particularly the very many elderly people who would now be worrying a little,” the ex-Waterford TD told Déise Today.
“If the head of the trade union movement came out and said don’t take that vaccine, he or she may well influence people.”
Describing the bishop as a “man of some influence”, Mr Halligan added that he “may well have influenced people” by his ambiguity on whether he would take the vaccine.
“We are at a stage where we’re beginning to defeat the virus,” he told Damien Tiernan, “primarily through the vaccine and it is important that people of influence come out and urge the people that they can influence, to take the vaccine.”
