Martin: EU will learn lessons from 'problematic' vaccine rollout

Micheál Martin said the EU should have emulated the United States' Project Warp Speed to "cut through red tape" and deliver vaccines faster. 

The EU will "learn lessons" from the "problematic" vaccine rollout, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheál Martin was speaking to the Washington DC-based Brookings Institute as part of his slate of virtual St Patrick's Day events, leading up to a virtual meeting with US president Joe Biden on Wednesday. The traditional programme of events has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Martin said while Europe has "done well" on vaccines overall — citing the 10-month turnaround in their creation — lessons have to be learned in manufacturing and procurement. He said vaccines are still being shipped out of the EU while manufacturers are missing their delivery targets to the bloc.

Asked if the EU should have copied the American Project Warp Speed to "cut through red tape" and deliver vaccines faster, Mr Martin was unequivocal.

"In short: Yes," he said, adding that the UK is four weeks ahead of the EU in approving vaccines, and the real challenge in the EU now is manufacturing and delivering doses.

Ireland's role post-Trump

Mr Martin said he sees Ireland as a "bridge" between rebuilding US and EU relationships after the tumult of the Trump administration and said that a pro-European White House would help to improve the EU and UK's relationship.

In his opening remarks, the Taoiseach warned against unilateral moves around the North, which he said would "corrode trust".

"The Withdrawal Agreement contains within it mechanisms specifically designed to deal with issues that arise, a Joint Committee and Specialised Committees. That is where teething problems should be worked through, so that we can find common solutions.

UK 'corroded trust'

"Unilateral action to disapply or not to implement aspects of the Protocol does nothing but corrode trust, the only basis on which sustainable long-term solutions can be found. It exacerbates uncertainty and instability; two things Northern Ireland can well do without."

Earlier, Mr Martin told news station CNBC that the B117 variant of Covid has "caught us" as a nation but said there has been a "remarkable" turnaround.

"We have managed a very dramatic reduction in cases, hospitalisations and severe illness through the remarkable response of the Irish people in adhering to severe restrictions on movement and in a whole range of categories. So much so, that we’re down among the lowest rate of incidence again across Europe."