THE MINISTER for Health is looking at setting up a scheme to compensate people whose health has been damaged by Covid vaccines, Limerick TD Willie O’Dea has been informed.
The Fianna Fáil deputy raised a question in the Dáil asking the Minister for Health if he intends to establish a tribunal to deal with cases of people who have been injured as a result of taking the Covid vaccines.
Minister Stephen Donnelly replied that “work is ongoing to design a proposed model for a vaccine damage scheme and officials in my department are working through related policy matters”.
“The development of such a model needs detailed consideration to ensure that it is appropriately designed and it is not possible at this stage to pre-empt the form the scheme will take once it is delivered. Once the model is developed, I will bring it to Cabinet for approval,” the Health Minister said.
Deputy O’Dea told the Limerick Post that he is glad to hear that such a scheme is being considered, but he hopes that it will take the form of a tribunal of compensation.
He said that while the vaccine wasn’t harmful for the majority of people, “there are a lot of people whose health deteriorated significantly after taking the vaccine or the booster”.
“People’s quality of life and their earning ability were hit. Their doctor will tell them it is very possible it’s linked to the vaccine, but these are ordinary people who would be going up against big companies who have plenty of money if they go through the law courts. And it could be very difficult to prove the case.”
Deputy O’Dea said that “people who took the vaccine in good faith and have been affected by it should have recourse to a tribunal where there is no obligation to admit liability but where they could get some compensation for their losses”.
The Deputy added that he hoped that the process “will move along at a good pace. We don’t want people to have to wait for years and years.”
