Dr. Tony Holohan:

As I have said, we are fully open to and encouraging of the conduct of well-organised validation studies. This is supported by all of the bodies I mentioned in my opening statement, which I can go back over if the Deputy wishes. Our position is exactly the same. We have good quality validation studies that inform us. We have had a recent study published by the team in the HSE led by Professor Keogan and Dr. Lorraine Doherty that has looked at asymptomatic populations and the performance of antigen tests among them in comparison with PCR tests. Where people who have a positive PCR test are also tested by antigen, it picks up the disease in 52% of those in asymptomatic situations. That is one validation study that has been conducted in this country. There is another study I have told the Deputy about also being planned for application in the third level sector. That is an example of the kind of study that is recommended by the Ferguson report. That is the way for us to go about establishing whether there is an evidence base to this.

We cannot simply start rolling out tests on the basis that people think they are a good idea without us supporting that with good quality scientific evidence generated from independent validation studies. That is our position. That is not at variance with the Ferguson report or with the position of all of the international bodies I have set out for the Deputy.