Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

That is not acceptable. We are asking a question. The answer of the Minister of State, repeatedly, was to say we are feeding in to find the best way. I have no idea what this means. Is Ireland at European Council level pushing for the EU to support the extension of the waiver or is it not? We have the right to know what position the Irish Government is taking. The Minister of State does not, or certainly should not, have the right to come in here and talk nonsense and not say anything. He says he supports the intellectual property. If the Government's position is that the right of the companies to profit and the right of Ireland to get a small amount of corporation tax should come before the lives of millions of people the Minister of State should come and argue that position and let us have a debate about it. To hide Ireland's position in language stating that we are feeding in to try to find the best way is quite craven. Come out and say what is the Irish Government's position. If the Irish Government supports the extension of that waiver that is great. Clearly that is what I think we should be doing. It is not acceptable to refuse to answer the question. The negotiations are happening now. As the Minister of State said, this has to be done by 17 December. It will be scandalous if the Irish Government stands with the pharmaceutical companies and not billions of people around the world.

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