Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and thank them for their competent, professional and informative presentation and for sharing their expertise and experience. I emphasise their experience and expertise because I have raised the issue of the use of antigen tests on several occasions in Dáil Éireann. Having raised it with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and several Ministers, I came to the conclusion that the political establishment is in favour of the use of antigen testing. In the most recent exchange I had with the Tánaiste, he referred to differing opinions between scientists and public health doctors regarding its use. He also referred to the report by Professor Mark Ferguson, the Government's chief scientific adviser, and indicated that the Government has now formally endorsed his report. In that report, Professor Ferguson sees a very prominent position for antigen testing in our battle against Covid.

I want to raise an issue that has been brought to my attention by members of the public. I firmly believe in the use of antigen testing. It is my understanding that many of the large sporting organisations in this country, including the GAA, IRFU and the soccer authorities, had moved to the stage where they were prepared to go with antigen testing. It is a misnomer to say that the Government is opening up sporting, cultural and entertainment events. That is simply not factual. The numbers allowed into venues under the new protocols are so low as to be meaningless. It really is nonsensical. The administrators of the national organisations had no option other than to go along with the proposals. However, I am very much aware that they are privately very critical of the arrangements. Compliance with these new regulations is massively time-consuming and cumbersome and there is a huge workload involved for very little gain. For the number of people allowed into the venues, the workload is extremely high. We have a situation now where voluntary organisations are giving out a sparse allocation of tickets and that will become a nightmare for officials.

I find it difficult to understand the resistance to antigen testing by the CMO and the National Public Health Emergency Team. It is very baffling and defies all logic. I must say, and I am doing so publicly, that the stubborn obstruction to its use must be questioned. We need to invite the CMO and his team to come before this Oireachtas committee. They must be given the opportunity, in public, to explain their rationale in this matter, justify their decision to disagree with the scientific evidence and explain the reasons they are not accepting Government advice and ignoring the advice of the European Commission. As an island nation, we depend on aviation for connectivity. We have to ask why antigen testing is being deliberately excluded as part of our weaponry in the battle to detect and control the spread of Covid. As far as I am concerned, we, as a committee, have an obligation to demand an answer to that question. I request that the CMO and his officials be brought before us at a very early stage.