Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, I welcome the progress made across the areas of the multi-annual financial framework, the Covid recovery and climate action. I also welcome the European Council's commitment to treating the vaccination as a global public good. There were positive steps recently at EU level in the conclusion of common advance purchase agreements to guarantee access for Ireland and other member states to the vaccines as they become available. As was said previously, it is not the vaccines that are important, but the vaccination. It is important that, alongside this, we ensure the poorer countries have vaccines as well. Many corporations should be commended on the work they have done so far on vaccines, but corporate interests cannot be allowed to be the determining factor in regard to who has access to vaccines and who does not. There must be increased transparency on pricing and costs.

The COVAX Facility is the international initiative which is intended to ensure that poorer countries have access to the vaccine. I sincerely welcome the EU's commitment to contribute to the international response to the pandemic, including via the COVAX Facility for guaranteeing affordable and fair access to vaccines for all. However, we need more than words. The COVAX Facility is currently €5 billion short of the funds it needs to procure its target number of vaccines for 2021. The window to act to ensure a fair approach to Covid vaccines is closing fast. The new seven-year budget was given the green light by the European Council. It will last until 2027. While the COVAX Facility needs €5 billion, the EU is moving ahead with the European defence fund, an €8 billion subsidy to the arms industry. It is a fund that is explicitly intended to increase EU arms sales and exports. I certainly believe that vaccines would be of far greater use. I welcome the European Medicines Agency, EMA, announcement that it should have approval for the vaccine before Christmas.

The Government must provide much greater clarity to the people about all aspects of the European budget and what it contains, as well as more information about what it will cost and what benefits we can expect. It is important to remember that the EU budget does not cover housing, education and social protection, which are the biggest spending areas in a national budget. I am concerned about the funding for the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, particularly rural development. The overall EU budget has been increased, but in real terms that of the Common Agricultural Policy has been reduced. This is alarming in view of the dire situation being experienced by family farms. It also comes at the same time we are asking farmers to do more for environmental protection. Looking at the various budget lines we have received, there are billions at the expense of the traditional programmes such as CAP and Cohesion. In addition, it is absolutely vital that we protect our fishing industry for the coastal communities.

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