Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I suggest the departure gate is rather late in the system, given that everything from the boarding card to the passport is screened further back in the airport concourse. It is quite late if somebody is kicking up a fuss, which will happen. There were even court challenges a few months ago, frustratingly. There will be people who will try to wriggle their way out of this, not having been tested, and they will be at the point of departure, holding it up for everyone. I would suggest a better place to do whatever screening is required would be further back in the airport concourse, before reaching the actual departure gate. We do not want flights to be delayed. We have had few enough flights taking off over the last few months, and the last thing we want is a kerfuffle before people board a plane.

Members of this committee have been huge advocates of antigen testing. Of course, there is an expert group reporting back, and I know it is stitched into the digital Covid certificate and is legally provided for. However, how is that advancing in terms of the group which is co-ordinating this for the State? Where are we at in that regard?

A question I asked earlier was not addressed. If people decide to fly a day or two before 19 July, what can they expect when they present themselves at the airport? How many restrictive regimes are still in place? If they arrive with a digital Covid certificate, will the bona fides of that be accepted a day or two before 19 July?