Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann:” and substitute the following: “acknowledges that:

- universal and equitable access to vaccines is crucial in the global fight against Covid-19 and Governments in the developed world must do more to ensure this;

- international trade is a competence of the EU under the Treaties and in exercising that competence, the European Commission engages fully with the Member States, including Ireland, through a variety of Committees and Working Parties/Groups, including on Intellectual Property;

- Ireland will engage with the European Commission and other Member States on the EU position for the WTO discussions on how the flexibilities within the TRIPS Agreement can contribute towards increasing the manufacturing capacity and the equitable access to vaccines around the world;

- the EU continues to be committed to an open and comprehensive dialogue with all WTO members to explore how the multilateral rules-based trading system can best support universal and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines and treatments;

- the EU made an alternative proposal which is targeted and pragmatic and aims at ensuring that Governments can resort to compulsory licences, including to export to countries with no or limited manufacturing capacities, in the most effective manner adapted to the circumstances of a pandemic;

- since the inception of the TRIPS Agreement, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have benefitted from an extended transition period to apply provisions of the TRIPS Agreement, in recognition of their special requirements, their economic, financial and administrative constraints, and their need for flexibility in order to create a viable technological base;

- the EU considers that the COVAX Facility, the international initiative to ensure global access to Covid vaccines, is the mechanism that is best placed to ensure that high-income countries finance the vaccines and support developing countries to secure their share of global supply;

- the EU with its Member States have been the leading donor to the COVAX Facility with €3.2 billion committed for equitable distribution of vaccines; the EU has been the leading exporter of vaccines, out of a total of 2 billion doses produced since December 2020, the EU has exported over 1.4 billion doses to 150 countries; the EU’s target is to donate 700 million doses by mid-2022; and the EU is also investing €1bn to ramp up mRNA production capacity in Africa;

- Ireland will donate over 1.3 million surplus vaccines this year to low-income countries as part of the COVAX programme; the first 500,000 Irish doses donated through COVAX reached Nigeria on 29th November; in addition, Ireland has delivered on its commitment to donate 335,000 Covid-19 doses to Uganda, with further significant donations to follow soon; and Ireland has contributed €7 million to COVAX to facilitate the procurement of vaccines by low and middle income countries, this translates roughly to a further 1.2 million doses of vaccine donated by Ireland to low-and-middle income countries;

- the risks to companies of investing in vaccine development and manufacturing were underwritten and mitigated by large public investments and advance purchasing agreements; and notwithstanding these interventions, consideration of the matter must balance the need to encourage and support industry to carry out research, innovate and develop new medicines and vaccines with the importance of ensuring fair, equitable access to medicines and medicinal products.”

I thank Senator Higgins for tabling the motion and Senator Ruane for seconding it. It is a really important debate. We hope the Government will take note of it. Universal and equitable access to vaccines is crucial in the global fight against Covid-19. One of the most moving interviews I have heard on this issue took place on the "Brendan O'Connor" radio programme on Saturday, 28 November.I love listening to Brendan O'Connor on Saturdays and Sundays. He has an objective view and never has any agenda in terms of who he brings in to interview or how he responds or reacts. He always tries to be fair to everybody. Dr. Gabrielle Colleran was on his show on that date. Sometimes you hear an interview that stops you in your tracks and you know that what is being said is crucial. For the past 20 months, we have all been listening to debates about Covid, vaccines, masks, mask-wearing, social distancing and all the different things, so, to a certain extent, we may be slightly inured to the debate. The interview with Dr. Colleran, however, was incredible. She actually broke down crying during the interview when she was asked about this issue of global vaccines. She apologised and explained that she was tired and exhausted, as were all of her colleagues. They are all working so hard to ensure that those who are sick in hospital and in ICU recover and they are trying to get shots into everybody's arms. Speaking about global vaccines and trying to get vaccines to the poorer and least-developed countries, she was at a loss in respect of how we cannot see the bigger picture in terms of the moral view, which is hugely important - this is about equity and ensuring those in the poorest countries have the same opportunities as us to stay healthy and be able to thrive - but also the whole notion that none of us are safe until all of us are safe and that while there are so few vaccines in poorer countries, we are all at risk. There is an argument on every side of this issue. I say "Fair play" to Dr. Colleran. She really put it into perspective in that interview. For the record, I support the whole TRIPS area.

She also spoke about pharma companies and the fact that, basically, they are saying that their innovation would not be protected if the waiver was given. That is not necessarily the case, however, because countries put significant amounts of money into developing these vaccines and that has to be recognised. The risk was not taken just by the pharma companies. It would not stifle innovation. We cannot protect global pharma if doing so results in lives being lost.

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland today issued a statement in support of the TRIPS waiver. It made the point that 75% of those in high-income countries have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared with only 7% in low-income countries. As all present are aware, the latter countries have fragile health infrastructure and weak economies and are unable to cope with the increased pressure caused by the pandemic. Resources are diverted from other important areas such as HIV and malaria as a result. There is no doubt that an unprecedented human and health crisis is taking place before our eyes. We have to advance the global waiver in order to overcome Covid for medical reasons as well as moral ones. Our place in the world is important.

The Minister for Health announced yesterday that Ireland is to donate another 3 million Covid-19 vaccines, which is very welcome. Adding that to the vaccinations that have already been supported by Ireland through COVAX, it is a really big commitment. It means that, essentially, a vaccine has been provided on behalf of each person in this country to people who need it. UNICEF had a really strong campaign urging people to get their vaccine and pay for another vaccine. I know that so many people in this country have taken that up. I thank all those who have done so. When there is a call-out to the Irish people, they are just wonderful in terms of their voluntary commitments and donations. All too often, they are a step ahead of us in these Houses in terms of showing solidarity. Those measures are important. We can never do enough. We have to be at the forefront of the global response and use our influence within the EU and the Commission to ensure that those who need vaccines get them.