Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

With the permission of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I will use my three minutes for a questions-and-answers session with the Minister, as was the practice last week.

I know the Minister is frustrated about the delay in the vaccine roll-out and he is being unfairly criticised for some of that delay. I know, too, that he and other colleagues in the Government have been engaging with companies and other countries about other avenues to secure additional vaccine supply and that this has been happening since last week. That proactivity is welcome. It is prudent though to hedge against further delays. The Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, if submitted for approval is likely to be approved by the European Medicines Agency, EMA. The Germany authorities have spoken tacitly in favour of it, studies in medical journals show it is very effective and some EU countries are already using it. In advance of a potential or likely approval by the EMA of Sputnik V, are we do anything ourselves or with the EU in terms of putting in place advanced manufacturing agreements or advanced procurement agreements, as we did with regard to other vaccines? If not, is this something the Minister would suggest be done?

I would like to bring to the attention of the Minister that Senator Buttimer and I have proposed that the European Ombudsman appear before the new ombudsman and petitions committee to answer in regard to her work and investigation into how the EU has handled the Covid pandemic and vaccine roll-out to date.

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