Mr. David Delaney:

I will pick up on the Senator's question about the TRIPS waiver. Our companies are not traditionally involved in the manufacture of vaccines. A couple of our companies are involved in the seasonal flu vaccine, including Viatris, my company. We are one of the main suppliers of the seasonal flu vaccine to Ireland and a number of other countries. Another trade organisation in Ireland principally covers vaccine manufacturers so I will not answer in any great detail on that. Suffice to say that in terms of intellectual property rights across the broader piece, our members are very strong on the protection of intellectual property rights for the full period of patents unless instructed otherwise by national and international authorities. We are very strong on the protection of patents. A number of our medicines are patent protected but, of course, the majority of our medicines are generic so when the patents fall, companies such as mine and Mr. O'Brien's, Pinewood Healthcare, Clonmel Healthcare, Rowa Pharmaceuticals and other companies that are strong across Ireland step in and bring generic versions of the medicines across the world. That includes the amazing HIV generic medicines we typically bring to Africa and across Europe. We are very strong on post-patent medicines.

I do not think we would be entitled to comment too much about a TRIPS waiver for Covid-19 medicines as we are not particularly involved in their manufacture, albeit we make the seasonal flu vaccine and supply some components for Covid-19 vaccines. I hope that answers that part of the Senator's question.

The Senator's final question concerned opioids and potential addiction in Ireland. A number of our companies manufacture pain management medicines, all of which are supplied, licensed and regulated by the HPRA and, essentially, by the EMA, by extension. All the medicines are fully compliant and are supplied through retail and hospital pharmacists in Ireland. The care pathway for those medicines is managed by the regulators and is instigated and protected by local community pharmacists or hospital pharmacists in the case of the dispensing of hospital medicines. We are very much aware of the impact of all our medicines across the patient populations. Whilst no data have been brought to our attention recently on opioid or other significant addiction issues in Ireland, it is certainly something that we would be willing to look at. We remain in close contact with hospital and retail pharmacists, who, we feel, are the guardians of the patient pathway in the community and the hospitals. All of our medicines are fully regulated and authorised by the HPRA and EMA. Hopefully, that addresses the Senator's three questions.