Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I will do my best to heed his suggestion that members try to be efficient. I welcome the witnesses. I congratulate Dr. Harkin and Dr. McMahon on their voluntary and moral leadership. It is important. I also congratulate Ms Byanyima. It was great to hear from Dr. Nabarro as well.

As I stated at a previous committee meeting, it is interesting that we have a case where self-interest and the morally correct thing to do coincide. They often do not coincide, but in this instance they do. As Dr. Mike Ryan would say, no one is safe until everyone is safe. It is very scary that 2.3 million people have died globally. Dr. Nabarro's interpretation of the future is also frightening. The economic cost of €3.4 trillion per year is shocking. Basically, we need the global south, the developing world and all other parts of the world to be on board. As the world is now a global village, one cannot assume that because what are, from our perspective, isolated areas are not covered, we are safe. As a result of the prevalence of travel, we are not safe. The issue of variants then arises.

I refer to two stark and frightening figures. The first is that it will be 2023 before several countries are looked after. The other figure, if I picked it up correctly - I may be corrected if I did not - is that only 1.5% of the global population would be covered by the existing supply of vaccines. Those are stark figures.

My colleague, Deputy Stanton, raised the issue of capacity. We should have reassurance in that regard. I intuitively think there would be far more capacity available if there was a will to use it, but I would like to hear more on the issue. Ireland now has a particular role in the context of the UN. The Government must join and sign up to the international statements on this issue and use our position in the EU and the UN.

I recently had a discussion with the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland. She explained that the Palestinian people have particular difficulties with access. I ask the witnesses to comment on that. Of course, that links to the issue of refugees. It is obvious that where there is a density of people, such as in refugee settlements, etc., and indeed in places such as Gaza, there is a greater spread. I would like the comments of the panel on that but I think it is a pretty basic point. One assumes the spread is more difficult to halt in the normal ways.

I ask Dr. Nabarro to address the issue of the Russian vaccines and what is happening there. I have been told that the Russian vaccine is very effective. We in this western part of Europe do not know much about it. I ask him to comment on that issue and how the vaccine is being used internationally. I ask the witnesses to comment on the issue of capacity and the Palestinian question specifically.

I was here all day yesterday, when there was a full Seanad sitting at which many important issues were discussed. I am sure many important issues were also discussed in the Dáil in recent days. However, without being ridiculous or melodramatic, I believe this is probably the most important meeting that has been held in these buildings for many months. The issue we are discussing is the most serious in terms of morality, expediency, the economy of the world and the lives of people. This is of mammoth importance. I am certainly unequivocal in my support of what our guests are doing. I am very proud to have the opportunity to say that.