Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are in the middle of a global health crisis. We are living in extraordinary times which call for extraordinary measures. I note that last night President Biden released a statement announcing his Administration's support for the waiving of intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines. It is quite obvious that not vaccinating the globe in its entirety as expeditiously as possible increases the likelihood of the development of further variants that are resistant to existing vaccines, ultimately prolonging the pandemic. I am sorry to repeat what others have raised but in light of last night's announcement, this issue needs to be discussed at greater length. I note the Tánaiste's comments on the inability of certain countries in the global South to manufacture vaccines but there are large nations in that region that would have the capacity to do so. This is an issue that the Government must examine again.

See this speech in context