Blair meets Martin about vaccines boost for developing countries

Former British PM exploring if pharma firms here could make vaccines for export to Africa and other countries

Tony Blair is pushing for wealthier countries to create capacity on every continent for vaccine production so that developing countries can vaccinate their own citizens. Picture: Getty

Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, has been holding meetings with Taoiseach Micheál Martin about boosting the supply of Covid-19 vaccines to developing countries.

He has been seeking information about whether pharmaceutical companies in Ireland could manufacture the vaccines for countries in Africa and elsewhere.

Pfizer is due to start producing supplies of its Covid-19 vaccine from its Grange Castle plant in Dublin at the end of this year.

The Taoiseach's official appointments diary ...