It has generally been accepted that Ireland's response to the recent pandemic has been one of the most successful. At present, a WHO global pandemic treaty is being negotiated. My understanding is that the states which become signatories to this treaty will be ceding power to deal with any future pandemics entirely to the WHO and that the local government will be completely excluded from the situation. This is a very significant development. Has the advice of the Attorney General been sought as to whether the Government signing up to this will require a constitutional referendum?

I will have to check that out in the first instance. I remember that Ireland was one of the proactive members in getting a global tobacco treaty under the auspices of the WHO, and we would have been co-authors of that legislation and key players in getting it enacted, which was to the benefit of healthcare. In terms of a pandemic, what is required is very strong global interaction and co-ordination among all the members of the WHO, which did not quite happen at the beginning in this regard.