Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is another important meeting of the European Council this week and, quite understandably, the focus of this meeting will be on Covid, and on vaccination in particular. Listening to news reports these days, one will know that incidence of the virus is still at a very dangerous level throughout Europe. At this summit, questions have to be raised about this whole area and an emphasis must be laid on the production, manufacture and distribution of vaccines. Health systems across all of Europe need predictability in supply. They cannot plan for vaccination programmes if there is doubt with regard to supply. The citizens of the EU need a clear outline of the preparations being made to ensure an adequate vaccine programme is rolled out.

The European Commission has questions to answer at the highest level. When did it commence its purchasing and procurement programme and what is its strategy? Why were agreements to deliver to the EU first not made with pharmaceutical companies? Some of these companies have shown very bad faith in the way in which they have dealt with Europe so far. Another question which needs to be answered or addressed is whether the EU has facilitated or, more importantly, ensured increased manufacturing capacity for these pharmaceutical products? Everything points to the world facing different variants of this virus for some time to come. We need short-term and medium-term planning to deal with Covid-19.

The EU cannot be accused of vaccine nationalism while it has allowed massive exports of vaccines to outside countries. Indeed, it is preferable and essential to ensure the EU gets at least its fair share of vaccines. I fully appreciate that, as the Taoiseach has said, supply chains have to be protected. I do not believe in trade disruption. Nobody benefits from it and the most vulnerable suffer the most. However, I also believe that we, as EU citizens, need to get the best possible protection from this deadly virus. We therefore need our leaders at EU level to ensure an adequate supply of vaccine and that the vaccine programme is given impetus and is rolled out more quickly. All of us have spoken to constituents who have had the vaccine administered to them. We have seen how much it has changed their lives and outlooks.

I will mention one further issue. I am sure that, in the discussions with President Biden on EU-US relationships, Brexit will come up. It is absolutely essential the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland is implemented in a practical manner and there is partnership with Britain to ensure the difficulties that exist are ironed out in a practical manner. Trade disruption in Northern Ireland means trade disruption throughout all of the island. We need to protect the all-Ireland economy. It is essential the Northern Ireland protocol is dealt with in a practical way and those problems are eliminated.

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