Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the deputy that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the global status quo in terms of pandemic preparedness and response was not adequate and needs revision and as such, Ireland strongly supports a multilateral approach to global health issues with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a central leadership role.

On 1 December 2021, the members of the World Health Organisation reached consensus to begin the process to negotiate a convention, agreement, or other international instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, commonly known as the Pandemic Treaty. Ireland supports this WHO-led process to negotiate a binding legal instrument on pandemic preparedness and response. The aim of such a Pandemic Agreement is to protect public health and to help save lives in the event of future pandemics.

An Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) was established and met for the first time on 24 February 2022. The INB has met six times to date and is due to meet again in November and December to progress work on drafting the agreement. A progress report was delivered to the 76th World Health Assembly in May 2023, and it is anticipated that the instrument will be adopted at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.

Ireland has been participating fully in the negotiation process along with EU Member States and is, along with a majority of EU Member States, part of the Group of Friends of the Treaty. The Group of Friends of the Treaty strongly supports an agreement that would foster an all-of-government and all-of-society approach, strengthening national, regional, and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics.

Ireland is advocating for an ambitious, fair, and implementable agreement to protect global public health through better pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

The requirements of the Irish Constitution will, of course, be fully respected in Ireland’s position towards these negotiations, and my department will engage with the Office of the Attorney General in relation to any concerns that may arise in this regard.

As the proposed instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response is currently being negotiated, it is not possible to determine the precise legal ramifications of the instrument, or what form the instrument shall take. These negotiations are due to conclude in May 2024. Once concluded, the draft Treaty will be presented to Cabinet for agreement before adoption.