Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
922. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the interaction he has had with a company (details supplied); and the reason it rejected State support to move production facilities to Ireland. [16582/21]
View answerIreland is participating in an EU Procurement process with a view to accessing a portfolio of candidate vaccines against Covid-19 which are being negotiated with vaccine manufacturers by the Commission acting on behalf of Member States. Emergency Support Instrument (ESI) funding has been leveraged by the Commission to facilitate its negotiations with vaccine manufacturers, including with regard to production costs and securing a reduced per dose cost for Member States.
This process has provided Ireland with access to vaccines (at a reduced cost) that it would find it difficult to access otherwise within a year after the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the WHO. Four of the vaccines in the EU portfolio have already been awarded Conditional Market Authorisation (CMA) by the Commission.
Ireland supports efforts made by the Commission to safeguard the production and delivery of doses of vaccine in the quantities agreed with vaccine suppliers and to ensure that up-front funding provided through ESI has been properly used.
