Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 9 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport

Rapid Antigen Testing for Aviation and Travel Sectors: Discussion

Photo of Kieran O'DonnellKieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are over time. This is an important issue. We are not against PCR testing but we see a major role for antigen testing. We have had Professor Mark Ferguson, a Government adviser, attend. We have had the current expert witnesses and Dr. Mina from Harvard, who is a world authority on antigen testing. We now need a public meeting with Dr. Tony Holohan, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Cillian de Gascun, and whoever else is required to discuss antigen testing. If the CMO has issues with antigen testing, let us justify them. We have heard here today that antigen and PCR tests are different but that antigen tests have a significant role to play in containing the spread of the virus.

I thank Dr. Power from V1 Medical, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. O'Grady and Mr. Osman from Duelchem, and Dr. Michael Mina from Harvard University who has encapsulated in a medically-underpinned but easy to understand way the difference between antigen and PCR testing. It is the first time it has been explained in a way that I think the ordinary person can understand. Antigen testing has a vital role to play.

We need to get back to operating in a normal world. Antigen testing has a key role to play in that. We look forward to our meeting with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tony Holohan. We have an open invite, in writing, to Dr. Holohan. I am aware that things have been very busy, but the nettle must be grasped in this area now. We need to look at antigen testing. It has a vital role to play.

This meeting is now adjourned. The next meeting of the joint committee will be a private meeting at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, 15 June 2021. I thank everyone for attending. Mr. O'Brien might send on those correspondence documents to us.

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