Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Simply put, this issue comes down to the need to have the protocols developed by the EASA and ECDC in place as quickly as possible. This needs to be accepted across the European Union or the system will not work. Given our situation on this island and our close proximity to Britain, it will be necessary to ensure, in respect to whatever protocols will be in operation, that we have something similar to what is in place in Britain. There would have to be contacts between the European Commission and Belfast as well as the British Government. I imagine this is all being impacted by the fact that we are in the middle of Brexit negotiations. At this stage, the witnesses may not want to get into the ins and outs of the testing regimes that may be put in operation, for example, the antigen test with the PCR test, and who will pay for what. That conversation must be under way at this stage. There must be serious discussions throughout the European Union to get member states and third parties, especially Britain, to fully sign up to this. Will Mr. Cornelius provide more information on that?