Daniel McConnell: Ireland stands to lose in row between EU and UK

The Taoiseach's stance on opposing the move to introduce any sort of restrictions on vaccine exports risks bringing us into conflict with European allies

There is tangible anger at Britain, particularly in France and Germany, over the continued failure of AstraZeneca to deliver on its contractual engagements in terms of vaccine rollout.

The mounting row between the European Union and the United Kingdom over access to vaccines exposes Ireland’s precarious position in a post-Brexit world.

The European Union has strengthened its rules on the export of Covid-19 vaccines, giving it clearer rights to block shipments to countries such as Britain with higher inoculation rates and to those not exporting their own vaccine doses.