Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As I said, 71,000 people were tested last week. We have had to ramp up testing considerably in the last four to six weeks because Covid has changed and is changing. It is more prevalent in communities now. In March, April and into May we were testing many people, but we managed to flatten the curve. The lockdown worked. People stayed at home and did not move further than 2 km from their location. However, as soon as we started to reopen society, Covid returned. Covid is not going anywhere. It is lying dormant and is in our communities. Some 30 community testing sites are open and three pop-up testing sites have been mobilised in Limerick, Tallaght and Carlow-Kilkenny. The Deputy is right that we cannot rest on our laurels. Testing, tracing and isolation are the way forward. It is the only way to flatten this virus. I have no doubt that the Minister will make every effort to ensure we will ramp up capacity wherever it is needed. However, 71,000 people were tested last week.

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