The Government will offer supports to any pharmaceutical company aiming to manufacture coronavirus vaccines in Ireland, according to the Taoiseach.
Micheál Martin has been updating the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party on the vaccine rollout this evening.
He came under pressure from a number of colleagues over the Government’s failure to source vaccines outside the EU Advance Purchase Agreement.
Mark MacSharry vaccines could be sourced from countries like Russia, which is selling its Sputnik jab internationally.
Meanwhile, John McGuinness told the meeting that his contacts in the US have assured him that vaccine can be sourced from other areas.
The Health Minister Stephen Donnelly replied, noting that there is no mountain of available vaccine supply out there, while Junior Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne said Russia had vaccinated very little of its population, despite selling the Sputnik vaccine elsewhere.
Meanwhile at the Fine Gael PP this evening, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his party the issue of manufacturing and supply is out of the Government’s hands.
A number of TDs expressed frustration at the slow delivery levels, particularly from AstraZeneca.
It comes after the Taoiseach this afternoon told the Dáil that there was “no magic tree” Ireland could pick vaccines from.
On The Pat Kenny Show meanwhile, Minister Donnelly said Ireland had opted in to the full European Union allocation and top-up schemes – and would eventually receive around 18.5 million doses.
