Government contact with vaccine suppliers
Deputy Kelly asked whether Government leaders had spoken with AstraZeneca and other vaccine suppliers, and the Tánaiste said he had spoken with Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson but not all details were known.
I regret to say that the Tánaiste's follow-up answer to my question during Leader's Questions was not satisfactory. It has prompted me to ask the following questions. I listened to the Minister for Health answering questions earlier on the vaccine roll-out. Have the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste or any other member of the Government spoken with AstraZeneca? Could the Tánaiste confirm that somebody in the Government has spoken to AstraZeneca? At some stage, has somebody in the Government spoken to the three current suppliers and to Johnson & Johnson, whose vaccine will hopefully be signed off on today? Has the Government spoken directly to all four companies?
Comment on this
I do not know. The Deputy would have to ask every member of Government or we can try to find out for him. I have spoken to Pfizer and to Johnson & Johnson. These are companies that have big operations here so I have done that. AstraZeneca does not have a big operation here. I know the Taoiseach has sought to speak to the CEO of AstraZeneca but I do not know whether that has happened. Again, I cannot speak for the Minister for Health but I am sure he can speak for himself.