GARDAÍ HAVE BEEN given permission to accept surplus Covid-19 vaccinations from the HSE, following calls for clarity on when members of the force would be vaccinated.

A letter issued by Garda headquarters today, seen by The Journal, states that gardaí will now be permitted to accept any surplus vaccines if they are offered to take them by the Health Service Executive.

Garda unions had previously expressed frustration that members of the force did not know when they would be vaccinated, despite many working on the frontline during the pandemic.

It remains unclear which cohort of the government’s vaccination sequencing programme gardaí fall under, with suggestions they could fall into cohort six (as key vaccine programme workers) or cohort ten (as other essential workers).

Although gardaí have not been given clarity on which cohort they fall into, the letter issued today states that they may be vaccinated if offered a spare dose by the health service.

It’s understood that specific units and members will receive the vaccine first if offered, with prioritisation for “frontline” gardaí and those who are medically vulnerable.

Contains reporting by Niall O’Connor.