Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Members will be aware that aspects of the TRIPS waiver are more primarily a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. However, I am sure the Minister of State will acknowledge the report that this committee undertook earlier this year on the matter of global vaccines, vaccine equality and the importance of ensuring that every effort is made to have vaccines distributed, particularly to the less developed regions of the world.

There was an earlier issue that arose with the Minister, Deputy Coveney, that the Minister of State might be in a position to address briefly and that is the engagement, or otherwise, his Department and himself have had with the American Administration, with particular reference to the Irish undocumented, under the heading of diaspora. It is an issue that has been ongoing for some time and we wish the Minister of State well in his endeavours there. Perhaps there might be a fresh impetus having regard to the change of Administration in the United States.

Deputy Brady mentioned the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. Again, in the opening comment there was mention of the importance of protection, food and people. Obviously, the humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region is striking at the heart of protection, food and people. It seems that the Eritrean Government is not in the business of withdrawing its troops as initially stated early in the year by both the Eritrean Government and the Ethiopian Government. This has resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the region. The harvest is now in doubt in terms of the inability of farmers to plan and sow crops. There is a humanitarian crisis looming and a real risk of famine. Obviously Ireland has a position in the United Nations with reference to the Human Rights Council and the Security Council. We trust that every effort is being made having regard to the special relationship between Ireland and Ethiopia over the years.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge the great work that both the Minister of State and his Department are undertaking for and on behalf of Ireland in areas of great challenge across the region, as evidenced by the questions from Deputies Stanton and Brady to date.