Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I look forward to the committee's report. This area will continue to change and evolve as the virus is continuing to evolve, along with the impact and responses to it with respect to testing and regulations. We will have to continue to be flexible and look at how arrangements change while following best international practice as best we can. It is about listening to the health advice. Health and safety comes first but we must retain our connectivity as an island and we must ensure the economic strength coming from connectivity is retained. How we match the two needs of protecting lives and livelihoods continues to evolve.

I watched with interest the contributions of Dr. Tony Holohan, Dr. Cillian de Gascun and the principal officer from the Department of Health in yesterday's committee deliberations. I agree with much of the information they shared with the committee, and they have already shared that with the Government on an ongoing basis. The Government has made a decision that follows the earlier decision to put no restrictions on passengers coming from green list countries and from this Sunday night, 8 November, we will have a provision whereby a person coming from an amber list country - there are two or three regions in the EU - will have other requirements relating to the person getting a test of his or her own volition in the region.

As Dr. Holohan stated yesterday, there is a range of new testing technologies being developed, including antigen and LAMP testing, but the World Health Organization advice for the moment on international air travel is to use PCR testing as the most appropriate. Other countries have done this but methods continue to change.

As I stated, Germany employed a similar method until recently. A test prior to departure was acceptable to exempt travellers from the need to restrict their movements. The further application of such a testing regime in this country requires first that we can be certain that there is testing capacity such that the regime would not infringe on the ability of the HSE to use PCR testing in its management of the disease. I am confident that will be done quite quickly. The Dublin Airport Authority in particular has done a significant amount of work in that regard. It indicated to me that it has approached up to 20 providers that may be able to deliver those services. I expect the private sector to provide that service. It may be provided by a variety of sources, including, potentially, in airports. If such tests are available from the private market, it may be beneficial to have them carried out at locations other than airports in order that people do not have to make an extra journey. All of this is being done in an effort to make travel safer and improve public health outcomes. People are currently coming into the country without any such testing being in place. If it enhances our public health screening effectively, that will be one of the benefits. If it leads to a reduction in or waiving of the restrictions that come with such travel, that may see a return to travel for essential work in a way that benefits the economy as well as protecting public health.