Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Deputies Harkin and McNamara. There are two issues I wish to raise. The Taoiseach will have time to respond to my questions before we move to the other members of my group.

Deputy Mattie McGrath referred to testing. It is very frustrating that consistently positive news is being given regarding testing when we know the situation is different. Like many other Deputies, I take part in Skype meetings with the HSE at which we are supposed to be given a full run-down on what is happening and get answers to our questions. At a meeting on 5 May, the HSE told us that 15,000 tests are being done per day and that it is fantastic and great. When the call ended, we got an email from the same HSE, which outlined the success of the testing programme and stated it was carrying out an average of 6,000 to 8,000 tests per day. Which is it? If it 6,000 tests are being carried out, the HSE should state that is the case such that we can get on with it. I would not slate the HSE for such an announcement. I would like it to get up to speed and achieve 15,000 tests per day but it is not at that level. Unfortunately, the Taoiseach has presented the same figures and stated there are 15,000 tests per day. It seems the HSE has the capacity to carry out 15,000 tests per day but it is not doing that. The Taoiseach seems to be repeating the same thing, which is very frustrating to hear. I know of several people who were tested but have not received the results three or four weeks later. There has been a so-called blitz on nursing homes. I know of a nursing home where at least 20 people were tested but have not received the results three weeks later. In spite of such cases, we are constantly given positive news on testing and that is very frustrating.

The issue of the testing app that will be rolled out was previously raised with the HSE. There are concerns about its safety, the criteria that will be used and for what purpose the information will be used. The Council of Europe, the human rights body of which Ireland has been a member for many years, issued a statement this week on the use of such apps across Europe. It questions how voluntary the voluntary participation will be. We need to consider this issue. It states that there will inevitably be social pressure on individuals to download and use the apps and, furthermore, that many public health regimes incentivise participation or penalise citizens for not voluntarily participating. For example, Israel places its citizens lower on waiting lists if they do not agree to voluntarily donate their organs. Questions have been raised regarding where the data are being stored and who will get to see them. In the United Kingdom, its Government intentionally chose a model incentivised towards continually asking for increasing amounts of private information. Legislation requires a formal assessment of the proportionality of Government usage of personal information as balanced against the legitimate aim of protecting the population. Personal information is afforded special protection under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. If such an app is to be rolled out here, is the necessary legislation being prepared and will it meet the standards set out in Article 8?

See this speech in context