Fine Gael MEPs abstain as European Parliament backs vaccine waiver

Nine Irish MEPs voted in favour as the parliament backed waiver, with three Fine Gael members abstaining and one opposing the amendment

Three Fine Gael MEPs, Frances Fitzgerald, Seán Kelly and Deirdre Clune, abstained from voting on the amendment, with Colm Markey the only Irish member of the parliament to oppose it. Picture: Getty

Fine Gael MEPs mostly abstained from voting as the European Parliament backed a motion calling on the EU to support a proposed waiver of intellectual property rights on the Covid-19 vaccine.

Nine Irish MEPs voted in favour of the non-binding amendment, which was tabled by the Left Group and calls on the EU to support a proposal to waive the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (Trips) agreement at the World Trade Organisation (Wto).

Three ...