Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1507. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered preparing a bid to host the forthcoming European health emergency preparedness and response authority proposed by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14494/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for and value of co-ordinated EU level action. The EU in their Communication of 11 November 2020 “Building a European Health Union: Reinforcing the EU’s resilience for cross-border health threats” states a need for member states to work together on foresight, preparedness and ability to respond coherently, rapidly and appropriately to protect citizens from health crises. As COVID-19 is unlikely to be the only global or pan-European health crisis of our century, the European Commission is proposing the establishment of the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) with a mission to strengthen the EU’s preparedness and response in terms of medical countermeasures for serious cross-border threats to health, both of natural and intentional origin. HERA will be complementary to existing EU structures and mechanisms, as well as relevant national initiatives.

The European Commission envisages that the Authority will take a whole value chain approach, from threat assessment to conceptualisation to deployment in case of need, and support Member States’ response capacities and access and ensuing availability and deployment of countermeasures to prepare for and address human cross-border health threats.

The proposal is at an early stage of development. The Commission is currently creating a High-Level Expert Group on the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority to support and steer the proposal. Ireland will be represented on this high level group.

A consultation process on the establishment of the authority will begin shortly, with a view to proposing in 2021 a properly mandated and resourced dedicated structure to start operations in 2023. The consultation will be will be accessible from the Commission's ’Have Your Say’ portal which can be found at