Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is absolutely correct on the necessity to vaccinate the entire world. Otherwise, we will all become imprisoned in our own republics, so to speak, because of the potentiality of new variants over time. COVAX is one vehicle to enable us to do that. The European Union is, I think, the largest contributor to COVAX, and we have contributed pro ratato it and will continue to do so. The United States is increasing its contribution to COVAX as well.

We need to be realistic and to work with the models we have to increase and refine production and manufacturing. Right now, the supplies are increasing, the companies are getting better at what they are doing and more vaccines will potentially come on stream. In that context, the world needs to work together to increase supplies to developing countries. That is something Europe and the US are focused on and, indeed, China is doing some of that as well. That is what we-----

See this speech in context