By Joleen Murphy
Essential workers such as teachers should be prioritized for vaccination according to Sinn Fein's Education Spokesperson.
Teaching unions are to table a joint motion today which will ask members if they want to demand that they're prioritized for vaccination as initially planned.
Last week Government decided to switch the vaccine priority list to an age-based approach.
Deputy Donnchadh O' Laoighaire believes a solution can be found.
"We should be organising a system that is primarily age based as the primary determinent but also has a component of prioritisation for workers that are essential.
"That was contained in the previous prioritisation and it has been the case elsewhere. I don't think there is any reason that that isn't possible here."
SME, the body representing small businesses, says it will lead to a "free-for-all".
CEO of ISME, Neil McDonnell, says the age based system is fair as it deals with the most at-risk first.
"We have had representations made to us by ISME member sectors and ISME member businesses asking us to make representations on their behalf in terms of when they would appear on the vaccination list and we said no.
"As far as we are concerned, this is a public health issue."
Teachers had been due to receive vaccines as essential workers but the list was changed to an age-based model, with the HSE saying it would help speed the roll-out up.
Any industrial action is unlikely to affect the return of schools from the Easter break next week.
