Like most people, I hope that we have a safe, ethically produced and effective vaccine that will help the country to get back to normal. However, I am very concerned by reports that the Government has indemnified the private companies producing these vaccines. I am concerned that this has happened in secret, with no political discussion or scrutiny. Furthermore, when the Government indemnifies private companies, it takes away the economic imperative for those companies to make sure that their product is 100% safe and leaves the country potentially exposed to millions of euro in costs in the future. Has the Government indemnified these private companies or will it do so? If so, what will Ireland be on the hook for, potentially, if all does not go according to plan?

As part of the European pre-purchase agreements, the companies have been indemnified.

For how much?

There is no set amount. The bottom line here is that we either want a vaccine in the middle of a global pandemic or we do not. Now, get real. This is unprecedented in terms of the progress around getting this vaccine done and without pre-purchase agreements, it simply could not and would not have happened. The bottom line-----

This was very clear from the outset to those following the European debate on this. The European Commission, on behalf of the member states, entered into pre-purchase agreements with companies with a view to getting vaccines to deal with a virus that is crippling economies all over the world. If one looks at the trillions of euro that have been spent globally on trying to save economies, keep jobs-----

We cannot get into a lengthy debate-----

How much?

The balance is correct in this context. It is the right balance.