Mr. Dalton Philips:

I thank the committee for the opportunity to continue the discussion regarding the ongoing devastating impact of Covid-19 on the aviation sector. Since my last appearance before the committee on 7 October, we have lost a further 1.5 million passengers, the population of Dublin, Cork and Limerick cities combined.

The European Commission has also adopted the framework for a common approach to travel within the EU. The Government’s decision to adopt that framework is the first step on a long road to rebuilding our connectivity. Unfortunately, however, the final European framework did not go nearly as far as anticipated. While we have this traffic light system in place, the road ahead for safely reopening European aviation is still littered with obstacles. Of primary concern is the fact that EU member states will set their own testing and quarantine rules without harmonisation. What we need is a system that delivers effective EU-wide co-ordination.

The Government has yet to formally announce how it will apply the new traffic light system in Ireland. From comments made by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, when she addressed the committee last week, it appears that 14-day movement restrictions will continue to apply to passengers from red and amber countries. This may be waived for those arriving from amber areas if they have a negative pre-departure test. There is a suggestion that movement restrictions for those arriving from red areas may be reduced to five days if a person has a negative test five days after arrival in Ireland.

In contrast, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, ECDC, has noted that travel restrictions are of “questionable effectiveness” when community transmission is ongoing, which is currently the case in most of Europe. Accordingly, opportunities for any significant uplift in travel as a result of this system are likely to be extremely limited. Red and amber zones currently account for about 98% of our potential passengers. Travel restrictions will continue to apply to these passengers. Even when case levels decrease in other European countries, travel to Ireland will remain closed off if quarantines continue to apply. In our view, pre-departure testing for both orange and red zone locations would be a safer alternative as it would mean we could screen out a significant proportion of risk before a passenger arrives in Ireland. This view is shared by all of Europe’s airports and airlines.

A recent survey of consumers conducted for the International Air Transport Association, IATA, shows widespread support for testing rather than quarantines or movement restrictions.

Some 83% of consumers said they will not fly if they have to quarantine on arrival, but 88% said they are willing to be tested to facilitate travel. Two thirds of European countries now offer testing at their airports. As I noted previously, DAA had secured suppliers to deliver pre-departure testing facilities at our airports using PCR methodology as a first step. Unfortunately, thus far the State has not provided DAA with the planning exemption required to establish these facilities, which has been granted to others, and we cannot therefore offer on-site testing at our airports at this point. As there is market demand for pre-testing, we will share information on private sector providers via our websites and other channels, although our preference remains to offer pre-departure testing on site. We will continue to engage with the relevant authorities on this.

We have spent months working on potential pre-departure testing at our airports in the belief that there would be a harmonised European system and that the Government would unequivocally support a pre-departure testing approach. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the emerging picture. An outbound testing facility is required to support reciprocal arrangements in other countries and to facilitate reinstating Ireland’s connectivity. Ultimately, the slow turnaround time and the cost of PCR means that it will not represent a viable, long-term testing option. To truly get people moving again we must look at rapid, affordable and scalable testing options such LAMP and antigen testing. In this respect, the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, recently published a report which advised NPHET to consider implementing such tests. There is evidence to show that other countries are starting to embrace these technologies. We have just heard about it from Rome. Five airports are currently offering rapid testing, including Heathrow and Paris Charles De Gaulle. Ironically, it appears that under the Government’s planned application of the traffic light system, Ireland will accept a pre-departure antigen test if it is approved in another EU state, but will not endorse this system at home.

The view of the aviation industry is that without the traffic light model, EU member states should focus on pre-testing rather than other measures. However, if we fail to also improve the delivery and cost effectiveness of the testing regime that underpins it, we will most certainly suffer further significant losses in services, as has been the unfortunate experience at Cork Airport recently and in what we have just heard from Ms Considine in Shannon. In closing, Christmas is just 58 days away. We want to welcome home our loved ones safely and to allow those living here who have not been able to see their families overseas to be reunited. We appeal for the committee's support for the adoption of a rapid, affordable, scalable approach to pre-departure testing that will facilitate reinstating travel in the long-term economic and social interests of our country.