Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, táim anseo i dTeach Laighean más gá é sin a rá. Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an méid atá ráite agat cé go bhfuil sé gairid an t-am atá agam. B'fhéidir go bhféadfainn níos mó a rá faoi seo amárach. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le foirne scoile, tuismitheoirí, na leanaí féin agus na hAirí agus an Roinn ina measc as an obair chun na scoileanna a fháil ar ais. Tá go leor oibre le déanamh agus is maith an rud é agus is faoiseamh atá ann le haghaidh go leor teaghlach agus foirne scoile ar fud na tíre.

My first question is for the Minister, Deputy Foley. One of the key concerns for school staff is that if a Covid-19 case arises, it be dealt with swiftly and decisively and that we rid the school of it as quickly as possibly. Significantly scaling up testing and tracing is crucial to that. I refer to a specific element of that. I noted in an article in yesterday'sThe Irish Timesthat an expert group reporting to NPHET is likely to recommend the use of antigen testing in school settings, which would be complementary to PCR and not a substitute for it. Has the Department considered what role antigen testing can play in schools in making them as safe as possible? If NPHET recommends its use, on foot of the expert report, will antigen testing be used in schools?