Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Louth is under threat from the rampant infection of Covid. From the mouth of the River Boyne to the county border in Carlingford, all citizens of County Louth are concerned about Covid because the infection rates are getting higher. There is a disproportionate presence of Covid in the county. For instance, in the Ardee electoral area, there have been fewer than five cases in the past 14 days whereas Dundalk has had over 60 and Drogheda almost 30. We want to support the HSE to ensure testing continues to take place. The fact that the testing centre is being moved from Dundalk to Ardee is a matter of concern which needs to be resolved, however.

Those doing the testing have done a fantastic job. The doctors, nurses and medical staff involved cannot be praised highly enough. They are now being supplemented by new trained swabbers which is important and welcome. On Monday last, testing capacity in Dundalk was 480 with 62 people to be tested. There were no delays. As numbers increase, however, concern also increases. People in Drogheda want to know if they can have a testing centre there. I accept that 37 full-time people will be working on testing in Ardee and it is not possible to have the same number working in Drogheda or Dundalk. That decision has been made. However, can we have a pop-up testing centre in Drogheda if the need arises? In the past week, two new pop-up testing centres were introduced in Dublin, at Croke Park and in Castleknock, and these have capacity to accommodate tests for between 180 and 200 people.

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