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

The Minister did not answer the question. Is the Government going to instruct its representatives at the World Trade Organization to vote in favour of waving intellectual property rights on the vaccines? That is the issue and the Minister has not answered the question. The Government has a choice to make. The Biden Administration has done a U-turn. It has changed its position under pressure from below. One option is to back the same position. The other option is to back the position argued by the pharmaceutical industry in this country, which this afternoon called on the Government to vote against it. The Minister needs to make his position clear. Which side is he on? Please answer the question. Will the Government instruct its representatives at the WTO to vote in favour of waiving the intellectual property rights on the vaccines? I would like a straight answer to a straight question please.

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