Ms Mary Considine:

On that query, we have engaged with a private commercial operator who is available to come on site to provide pre-departure Covid-19 testing. Initially, it would be PCR testing, which is more expensive and takes longer, but subject to approval regarding the LAMP testing, there would be capability to do as envisaged.

We have also engaged with our planning authority, who advises us that it does not consider planning to be required for this because it is ancillary to the airport's activity. In that regard, if there were agreed protocols on testing, we would be in a position to engage in implementation. Unfortunately, because of the ongoing travel restrictions, we will not have any scheduled airline services here for a month or so. That is very concerning. Everything we can do now to restore confidence and to get people back travelling will be really important. In the absence of that, however, the private operator would provide a service for other businesses in the region because we do not have enough volume at this stage to warrant an operator coming on site. It is important, therefore, that the service be made available to other businesses in the region, and there is willingness to do that. The service would be operated on site at the airport.