Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a very timely question because only today I received correspondence from the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety about this matter and I also had calls with six or seven separate European health ministers yesterday on it. We are spending an awful lot of time at a European level, at health ministers' Councils and the like, trying to take a joint European approach to this. We have invested most of our time and energy in trying to procure any vaccine that may become available on a European level and ensuring its fair and equal distribution among all member states. Four member states have already undertaken an initiative where they have agreed to meet the upfront costs but have also guaranteed fair distribution. While I welcome member states doing anything that is helpful, I am personally of the view that we need a European Commission led approach to this. I have spoken to the Commissioner and I know that is her view as well. I have also asked my officials to advise me on any legal preparations we may need to make here, but I believe Ireland will be best served by approaching this jointly as a member state of the European Union.

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