30 March 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune has been appointed to a new European Union grouping charged with investigating the bloc’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deirdre Clune MEP, from the Blackrock Road, Cork
Pic Diane Cusack
The Fine Gael MEP is the only Irish representative among the 38 members of the Special Committee to study Europe’s reaction to the pandemic and prepare us for future emergencies, which is beginning its work this month.
MEP Clune says, “we have learnt so much about Covid-19 over the last two years but it is still affecting thousands of people in Ireland and across the world.
As we continue to respond to these challenges it is vital that we put this experience to good use.
The Committee will be studying how the EU institutions responded to the pandemic, the vaccine strategy, and the level of coordination between member states.
Measures such as lockdowns, border closures, mask mandates, and the effect on work will also be evaluated.
Ireland has a unique perspective on this pandemic and it is vital that it is included in this European evaluation.
Over the next 12 months the committee will prepare a set of recommendations to ensure we are better equipped to deal with future pandemics and global emergencies.”
