Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is playing its full part as member of the global health community to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. This includes supporting the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Global Fund, to develop, produce and equitably distribute effective technologies in the COVID-19 global response. 

The vaccine roll-out effort will represent a challenge for many developing countries with limited health systems capacity. Ireland’s Embassies will be working alongside WHO and other health partners to support this effort. This will build on our support to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is also supporting country readiness for vaccine deployment, by addressing vaccine approvals, cold chain issues and access to syringes. In this regard effective vaccine administration is as important as vaccine delivery.

Vaccine supply constraints remain an issue, particularly for low income countries. In response to this, the Irish Aid allocation to global health will increase to at least €50 million in 2021, to include support  for global equitable access to vaccines through the COVAX facility and the WHO. 

Ireland has welcomed Costa Rica's leadership on the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). The Government shares the objectives for the initiative to achieve a common outcome in public health for the benefit of all. Ireland has consistently championed collaborative responses to the pandemic, with a focus on ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are served by our collective effort. The C-TAP proposal touches on the work of a number of Government Departments and other stakeholders.  My Department is consulting with relevant stakeholders with a view to considering practical engagement. 

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

93. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the level of support both through bilateral development aid and through multilateral development funds and instruments being provided to developing countries and the least developed countries in order for them to obtain and dispense the Covid-19 vaccine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6170/21]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is fully supporting efforts by the international community, including as an EU Member State, to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. The Government quadrupled funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2020, given its role as lead UN agency for health and co-host of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which has the COVAX facility as a centrepiece.  COVAX is supporting 92 low and middle-income countries access Covid-19 vaccines.

Vaccine supply constraints remain an issue, particularly for low-income countries. In response to this, the Irish Aid allocation to global health will increase to at least €50 million in 2021, to include support for global equitable access to vaccines through WHO and the COVAX facility.

Also included in this is funding of €15 million to the Global Fund to end AIDS, TB and Malaria, and €3 million to Gavi - supporting our partner multilateral agencies, sustaining health systems and ensuring attention to other diseases including HIV and AIDS, Malaria and TB. Ireland also continues to support key partner multilateral agencies, such as UNICEF and multilateral development banks, who are also playing an important part in the global response to the pandemic.

Irish Missions in partner countries will in the meantime be working alongside the WHO and other health partners to support the vaccine roll-out effort, which will face further challenges given limited health systems capacity in many countries.