Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

My first question is for the Minister of State. She just stated that 99% of over-85s had been vaccinated. Will she clarify? Is she using that figure as a general way of saying that most have been vaccinated or is she saying that it is actually 99%?

My next questions are for the Minister. Pfizer and Merck were contacted by the Government about producing vaccines in Ireland. The State offered to assist with the cost of reconfiguring plants in Cork and Carlow, but the companies said "No". Some questions arise. Did the Taoiseach intervene with the companies? Was the exchange by phone, email or both? Was the recent exchange the first such exchange or did the Government show foresight and arrange this conversation for last year? Apart from the carrot that we have been told about, was any stick used? There are a large number of drug companies in Ireland with significant premises and there is no shortage of labour that could be trained. I am for nationalisation and switching to production for society rather than for profit, but one does not need to be a socialist to use some stick on this issue. In the US, the Biden Administration has used the wartime Defense Production Act to compel companies to prioritise manufacturing for national security purposes. Was it just a carrot used in the Irish exchange or was there any stick?

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