Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will follow up on my colleague, Senator Flynn's points in terms of public transport. Research from the UK has found that bus drivers have higher levels of Covid-19 deaths than other occupations. We also have research that found that 41% of people polled said they were less likely to use public transport after the pandemic.

I am really concerned that removal of masks as a requirement on public transport will, in fact, damage the safety of those working and those who have to travel by public transport and, indeed, as we have seen, discourage others from using public transport when that needs to be a priority in terms of our wider safety and in respect of climate. I really urge the Government to rethink its policy public transport.

What I will speak about today, however, is something even wider and more important in terms of the pandemic. It is premature to talk about it being over because we know people are dying all around the world. Last week, the 6th European Union-African Union Summit: A Joint Vision for 2030 took place. As we anticipated, the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, TRIPS, waiver was a huge issue of trust and damaged trust. The South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, tweeted that:

An agreement on the #TRIPSWaiver would strengthen and consolidate our relations with Europe. If we are not able to reach a solution, this will mean we were not able to find each other on a matter of life and death.

This House passed a motion before Christmas on the TRIPS waiver. We sent a very strong signal that we recognised the urgency of a TRIPS waiver on life and death. We wrote to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which responded by saying it did have lead responsibility and that the proposal is primarily one of health policy rather than a general trade or intellectual property issue.

Yet the Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar, was at that EU summit and he did not speak about it as a life or death issue or as a health issue. He said at this EU-African summit that we want to avoid the pandemic being used to "undermine innovation or undermine intellectual property." I am really concerned that the Tánaiste on one hand tells us it is a health issue, and he acknowledges that, and then speaks on all our behalf in a way that is out of spirit with the statement from this House and with what the Minister for Health said. He is representing us at a key forum of Europe's conversation with African nations and telling them that he regards intellectual property as a bigger priority than health or life and death.Again, I hope we can move forward on this. I will pass this to the Leader because she herself has been very good on this issue. Can we convey in some way our concern in relation to this matter?