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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Questions (861)

Duncan Smith

Question:

861. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps his Department is taking to help the ongoing situation in areas of Palestine with a lack of Covid-19 resources, such as testing and vaccines Covid-19 vaccines in areas of Palestine under Israeli occupation; his views on the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40808/21]

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Written answers

I share the concern about the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities, including those in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Ireland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is informed by our commitment to reach the furthest behind first, as set out in our international development policy ‘A Better World’.

At the global level, Ireland is playing its part to support fair and equitable access to vaccines for all. In 2021 Irish Aid has invested more than €100 million in global public health systems, as a means to enable global vaccination preparedness and roll-out and to support the COVAX Facility, of which oPt is a beneficiary. Together, the EU and its Member States have committed more than €3.2 billion to COVAX and as of mid-July, the facility has shipped more than 129 million vaccines to 136 participating countries.

Ireland is convinced of the ethical obligation to share surplus vaccines to vulnerable populations and we are supporting efforts in Brussels to establish a common EU-wide vaccine sharing mechanism. It is vital that this mechanism should support and complement, rather than compete with, COVAX.

In February, COVAX confirmed that the occupied Palestinian territory was a priority participant in its programme of support to 92 low and middle-income countries. The first COVAX shipment was delivered in March, and to date 1,061,000 vaccines have been provided from a variety of sources. More than 4 million doses are expected to be delivered throughout Q3 and Q4, including COVAX supplies and vaccines directly procured by the Palestinian Authority. More than 945,000 vaccine doses have been administered to date in the oPt (22 July) and the Palestinian Authority’s vaccination programme is ongoing.

Ireland will provide more than €18 million in development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in 2021, including support to UNRWA and UN OCHA for essential humanitarian relief. Ireland has also engaged bilaterally in the oPt for many years to strengthen institutions, health systems and build preparedness capacity.

Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority have responsibilities to ensure the welfare of citizens in the occupied Palestinian territory. As I have outlined in my statements to the UN Security Council, ending the worst effects of the pandemic for all requires constructive cooperation to support timely, effective and unimpeded vaccination in both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The overall human rights situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory remains a priority and we aim to ensure that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains high on the international agenda, including during Ireland's tenure on the UN Security Council.

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