T9. Mr Frew asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister to send a signal today that they acknowledge the vaccine injured and bereaved community, who have been waiting since February for a diary date for their office to meet them, and acknowledge the pain and suffering that those people go through daily. (AQT 369/22-27)

There is no doubt that there are people who were impacted and injured. Those people still endure a huge amount of pain and a significant impact on their lives. I am pleased to say that the First Minister and I have jointly agreed to meet the vaccine-injured. I say this genuinely: we are striving to do that as soon as we can. We are working to ensure that a meeting can be put into the diary as soon as possible. We know that there is a keenness to meet. As I said earlier, nothing beats speaking to people directly about their experiences. That is why we have been keen to do so. That is what we do for much of our week, so, absolutely, we will do that.

I thank the deputy First Minister for that acknowledgement. It means a lot, and it will mean a lot to the people who have been injured and bereaved. VIBS-NI, the support group that helps people who have been vaccine-injured, is planning a protest on the steps of Stormont on Tuesday 2 July. That may be a good date, Minister, for you and the "First Minister for all" to meet those people.

As I said, we will continue to strive to get a diary date. If we can have a date in the diary earlier rather than later, I will be happy to do that. I know that there is a keenness to have that meeting as soon as possible, but, if we cannot do it before that date, we will try to do so on that day.