Taoiseach Accuses Unvaccinated of “Jeopardising” Public Safety

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has accused the unvaccinated of "jeopardising" the safety of others.

He said it is "clear as daylight" that they are having a negative impact on the health service.

"Because we know now that the unvaccinated have a disproportionate impact on our health services, on our ICU beds, and it’s as clear as daylight that you’re taking real risks if you don’t get vaccinated in terms of your own personal health and the health of others," he said while speaking at the 40th annual commemoration of Fianna Fail founder Eamon de Valera.

On a more positive note, the Taoiseach highlighted how many were now coming forward to receive the jab.

"We had 10,000 people come forward last week for first doses and the same number for second doses," he said.

Addressing the latest restrictions, Martin said the government would keep them "under review" as the Omicron variant is assessed over the next two weeks.

"The situation is as we’ve announced and it will take two to three weeks to get a better picture in relation to Omicron before scientists globally have a collective view on it," he said. "Obviously we keep everything under review but with Omicron it will take some time to identify how infectious it is, the degree to which it will escape vaccines if it does, and how virulent it is, what impact it will have on health and severe illness. It’s better to be proactive as opposed to reactive against the impact of that potential variant in the context of the high number of cases already across the country."