Ms Niamh O'Beirne:

There are different elements to that. The testing itself, that is, swabbing and laboratory processing, can be done by private partners, but the contact tracing would remain within the public system. Under the infectious diseases Act, the laboratories need to refer all positive cases to a public health department. High numbers of tests from travellers coming into the country would impact us where there were positive cases. Were someone to test positive and be in Ireland, we are responsible for contact tracing the individual.