{"id":24737,"date":"2022-01-10T09:21:43","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T14:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24737"},"modified":"2022-01-10T09:21:46","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T14:21:46","slug":"debate-over-mandatory-covid-19-vaccines-begins-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24737","title":{"rendered":"Debate Over Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccines Begins In Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Health Service Executive chief executive Paul Reid indicated he would prefer vaccines to remain voluntary (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mandatory vaccination could be \u201cnecessary for the overall good\u201d, one of Ireland\u2019s leading immunization experts has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Karina Butler, chair of the National Immunization Advisory Committee (Niac), said the controversial measure would have to be given \u201ccareful consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her comments come after minutes from a meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team\u00a0(Nphet) revealed the issue is to be discussed by public health experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think this is something that really has to be thought about. There are pros and cons to mandatory vaccination,\u201d Prof Butler told RT\u00c9\u2019s Today with Claire Byrne on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know this has been looked at by the department and a paper is being done on that and careful consideration will be given to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always preferable if people can look at vaccinations, have the information, and be able to make informed decisions for themselves and get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut there can be situations where making a vaccine a requirement is necessary for the overall good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut that\u2019s being looked at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently published minutes of Nphet on December 16th said the issue would be discussed \u201cat a later date\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A paper will set out the \u201crelevant ethical and legal considerations pertaining to this topic\u201d, the minutes state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s health spokesman, David Cullinane, said he would not support the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe voluntary vaccination program has served us well. Mandatory vaccination would be a mistake\u201d he wrote on Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople were given the opportunity to listen to the medical & scientific experts & made their own judgments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVaccines work but the voluntary system in my view works best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier, Health Service Executive chief executive Paul Reid indicated he would prefer vaccines to remain voluntary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would prefer to be winning people\u2019s heart and minds,\u201d he said, referring to Ireland\u2019s already high take-up of vaccines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Reid said any decision would ultimately be up to the Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has previously backed the voluntary system over compelling the public to get jabbed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking to Newstalk in December, less than a week after the Nphet meeting where the issue was raised, Mr Martin noted Ireland\u2019s high vaccination levels and said there were \u201cno guarantees\u201d mandatory vaccination would work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m personally of the view that we stick with the voluntary system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s worked in Ireland, more than anywhere else in the world, at 94 per cent fully vaccinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou go across Europe, and you\u2019re looking at 60 per cent vaccination in some places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome of those countries are now talking about mandatory vaccination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no guarantee that will work, by the way, in itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was listening to one prime minister talking about fines of 600 euros every three months \u2013 that\u2019s what a mandatory regime looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my view, we have to keep pushing the voluntary approach, which has achieved an enormous amount.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin has previously hit out at those who have not been vaccinated, saying they were having a \u201cdisproportionate\u201d impact on the health service and that it was \u201cclear as daylight\u201d they are endangering their own health and the health of others.<\/p>\n

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