Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our contributors. I have read the IAA's report to us. It is clear and concise and makes solid recommendations.

The authority is saying that Ireland should position itself in the context of testing and quarantine and not wait for other countries to give the lead. With regard to testing, it also says that the technology is available and that the next step is the political will and an agreed standard approach. When the authority says the technology for testing is available, to what is it referring? How would the authority proceed and what advice would it give on testing?

All members of the committee know it is massively important to get the aviation industry up and running again. Effectively, the impact of the closure has been devastating. I have been critical for some time of the fact that we are eight months into the pandemic and we have made no real progress on rapid testing at our airports and ports. The Government has aligned itself with the new European Union travel system, but one can see today that there are problems with that, particularly in the context of harmonisation. We will not get people moving through our airports and travelling into the country again for tourism, business and other reasons if we do not have a rapid, efficient and reliable testing regime in place. That system has to be rapid and people must understand that it exists. It is an encouragement to travel and one builds confidence with the public. Travel at present is all about confidence. What technology is envisaged? There are a number of tests, such as the LAMP test and the antigen test. Which technology is preferred? The witnesses have obviously studied it.