Dr. Aisling McMahon:

We really appreciate the endorsement in terms of C-TAP. In terms of the Deputy's question about the failure to support C-TAP, we are seeing the consequences of it since the vaccines have been approved, particularly since they have started to be rolled out. It is fantastic that we have these vaccines but, unfortunately, we do not have enough of them. That is becoming more and more clear for Ireland and other European countries and all over the world. C-TAP would facilitate the manufacturing of vaccines and the ability to make more. There is an artificial scarcity because the rights holders are simply not sharing intellectual property data and know-how. Know-how, data and intellectual property are needed to make these vaccines. Rights holders could be willing to come on board, take the opportunity to share and realise that we are in an extraordinary crisis and pandemic and need to bring it under control and that the only way to do that is increase the production of these vaccines. C-TAP is a direct avenue that would facilitate that. We support the COVAC scheme but, unfortunately, the target is that they would have enough vaccines for 20% of populations, which is nowhere near the figure we would need to achieve herd immunity or a population-wide spread of vaccination. The consequences of not supporting C-TAP are that we will at best achieve 20% and that is assuming we even have a supply to achieve that. C-TAP can deliver more vaccines for the likes of COVAC and facilitate that so it is important to stress that C-TAP would provide a mechanism to deliver more vaccines if it was supported but it needs support.