‘No change’ to vaccination plan after four garda groups meet health bosses

The government is sticking with its plan on an age-based vaccination system, a meeting between the four bodies who represent gardai of all ranks and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn heard today.

This is leading to continuing disquiet and anger among many officers who recently saw their calls for prioritisation for the vaccine disregarded.

“There is no sign of any change in relation to gardai getting priority after today’s meeting,” a source told Independent.ie.

Last week, it was announced that, on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac), the initial vaccination programme will be overhauled to an age-based system after those aged 70 and older and those with underlying conditions have been vaccinated.

This means that gardai will be waiting longer to get vaccinated.

This morning Nphet met with representatives of the Association of Garda Chief Superintendents, the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) and the Garda Representative Association (GRA).

In a joint statement they said: "The General Secretaries of the Association of Garda Chief Superintendents, the Association of Garda Superintendents, The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, and the Garda Representative Association met with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ronan Glynn this morning.

“What is clear to all Garda Associations after this meeting is that it is solely a Government decision to move to an Age-Based Vaccination System, and as the representatives of the majority of workers in the Garda Organisation, we will continue to advocate to Government to vaccinate all members of An Garda Siochana as a matter of urgency."

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has asked people against the government’s new vaccine plan to come up with “evidence” to prove that gardaí and teachers were at risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19 after plans to change the vaccination roll-out programme came under fire by TDs and Senators.

In recent weeks, gardai have been allowed to accept surplus Covid-19 vaccinations from the HSE which sources say has led to many hundreds of officers receiving their first jab or expecting to get it within the coming days.

It is understood that hospitals in Galway, Mayo and Limerick have been able to offer gardai surplus vaccines and numerous gardai in the Cork West division have also received a jab.

Garda representative bodies have continually expressed deep frustration that members of the force did not know when they would be vaccinated, despite many working on the frontline during the pandemic.

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