Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ireland is currently involved in the EU procurement exercise being operated by the European Commission on behalf of member states to procure a portfolio of stable, safe and effective vaccines in sufficient quantities to combat Covid-19. I am sure the Deputy has seen that we are involved with the WHO and the Gavi global response, which is in a spirit with which the Deputy would agree. It has a global justice view to make sure that the vaccine is distributed globally.

The arrangements are intended to ensure co-ordinated action at European level to vaccinate the EU population. As part of the exercise, Ireland has already opted into two advance purchase agreements with the British-Swedish drug maker AstraZenica, which is partnering with the University of Oxford and Johnson & Johnson. Ireland will also be opting into another agreement reached by the Commission with Sanofi Pasteur, but is not required to do so formally until late December or early January. The short answer is that there are three so far and, in line with the Commission, we are keeping that under careful watch.

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