Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to touch on one subject and follow up with two questions on the hospitality sector. On testing, I have heard the analogy made that we are in a war or battle and in battle one uses all of one's weapons and resources.

It is now generally accepted that 50% of Covid cases are asymptomatic and, therefore, will not be picked up until people develop symptoms. People may not have symptoms, yet they are spreading the virus. We are all agreed that we need fast test turnaround and extensive swabbing. The WHO and a number of First World peer countries have all introduced point-of-care antigen testing. I know NPHET has examined this. What is its resistance to introducing point-of-care antigen testing in addition to the PCR test activity we are already undertaking? The turnaround times can be as low as 20 minutes and the costs are a fraction of PCR testing, at about €5 for an individual test. Why not use that in conjunction with the other testing that is being carried out?