Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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230. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention or that of his Department has been drawn to the World Health Assembly adopted decision of 1 December 2021 titled, The World Together: Establishment of an intergovernmental negotiating body to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; if his attention or that of his Department has further been drawn to the fact that the Second Special Session of the World Health Assembly adopted a decision to establish an Intergovernmental negotiating body under Rule 41 of its Rules and Procedures and that under paragraph 1(1) the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body will draft and negotiate a WHO convention agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention and response with a view to adoption under Article 19 or under other provisions of the WHO constitution as may be deemed appropriate; his views on this adopted decision of 1 December 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13450/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As I outlined in my address to the World Health Assembly Special Session in November last year, Ireland strongly supports a multilateral approach to global health issues with the WHO in a central leadership role.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the global status quo in terms of pandemic preparedness and response is not acceptable. Therefore, Ireland supports the WHO led process to negotiate a binding legal instrument on pandemic preparedness and response.

The EU is a leading proponent of this process and Ireland, along with a majority of EU Member States, is part of the Group of Friends of the Treaty. Officials in my Department, working with Ireland's Permanent Representation to the UN in Geneva, are engaging with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body.