Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I want to see a global solution to this. We cannot have a situation where poorer countries are locked out of vaccinating their populations because they cannot afford it. It is ethically unacceptable and it would also be really stupid on behalf of the western world because the virus will continue to circulate. We need to do it for ethical reasons and for reasons of self-interest also.

The Deputy and I might have different views on the economic system and the pharmaceutical companies' right to make a margin on the work they do but clearly something in the global pharmaceutical system is working really well. We have a variety of incredibly effective safe vaccines quicker than they have ever been produced before. Last year, I spoke to leading experts who told me that based on previous pandemics and diseases it could be five, ten or 15 years before we saw this. Clearly something has worked really well. What we now need to do is channel this energy. I would like to see the waiver gone but it is important to say there is no silver bullet. If we got rid of that waiver tomorrow we would not suddenly see mass production. We have to look at manufacturing, distribution and other matters. As the Deputy is aware, the EU position is that there is already significant latitude within TRIPS that could be activated at this time.

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