Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Is the HSE considering saliva tests for schoolchildren? When will that be done? It is so important for children in particular. I ask Mr. Reid to revert to the committee with a timescale for that to be done. As he knows, children are going back to school. We do not wish to be back here in four months' time and the HSE to still be considering that measure. It is important that Mr. Reid revert to the committee on that very important issue.

On testing, I dealt with a particular case involving an elderly lady who rang her doctor last week. The doctor advised that she needed to be tested. The woman was referred on Tuesday. She could not go to Kilkenny. The testing centre in Tinryland, County Carlow, which is in CHO 5, has been closed. Will the testing centres in Limerick and elsewhere that have been closed be reopened? The woman was tested at 1 o'clock on Friday. Today is Wednesday and she has not received her results. I am aware of other similar cases. This is what is happening on the ground. People are being tested. If the members of a family are tested, they must isolate and stay inside. They cannot go to work. It is unacceptable that people are waiting six days to receive results.

I was contacted by a business in County Carlow. One of its employees contracted Covid and the business did not know what to do. I rang the Minister for Health. A person working on the business premises was diagnosed with Covid and had to isolate for 14 days. The owners did not know whether the business should close or remain open. They decided to close because they wished to be fair to people. There are no guidelines to cover such circumstances. The business was closed for 14 days. No urgent system of testing was put in place for its employees. The employees were out of work for two weeks because the business had to close when one employee got Covid.

I refer to counties which border counties Laois, Offaly or Kildare. I live in Graiguecullen in Carlow town. There are restrictions in place but the county is not in lockdown. However, businesses in Graiguecullen and elsewhere in County Carlow, including a hotel, had to close. There was significant confusion regarding the local lockdowns. I acknowledge and respect that the witnesses are doing their jobs as best they can, but proper guidance must be given. People have contacted my office seeking guidance and I had to try to get answers that I could not get.