Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 May 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

WHO Treaty on Pandemic Preparedness: Department of Health

Dr. Colette Bonner:

Sure, but the objective of this agreement is global equity in pandemic preparedness. As Mr. Hanly pointed out, that relates to access and counter measures, especially for countries that were less well developed and less able to do that during the previous pandemic. From that point of view, we feel this is quite a health competency related area. Obviously, we take into consideration all the other factors around that such public health measures, etc., but at the moment we do not feel that is necessary.