Dr. Tony Holohan:

We can use antigen testing in any setting so long as we have validated the use of the testing and so long as we know what a positive and negative result mean. We have not seen any evidence generated from that sector as yet. If any validation study was proposed to be carried out, we would have no opposition to that whatsoever. The Deputy quotes the Ferguson report and he rightly says it points out the need for us to have well-conducted validation studies supporting policy in this area. That is what we want. We are fully open to using antigen testing in the airline sector and we want it to be informed by the outcome of validation studies.

If I could point to one example, the Deputy may be aware that in the third level sector there is a good study getting under way this summer involving the academic institutions, funded through Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, and sponsored by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. That is exactly the kind of validation exercise we need to inform us as to whether there is a benefit to antigen tests. The findings of the study will inform the application of rapid antigen tests in that particular sector. That is exactly how a responsible approach to validation and the rolling out of antigen testing should happen.