Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the point on which the Tánaiste has concluded, I raised with the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, yesterday the specific vulnerability of people who are in receipt of home care. They need to be specifically prioritised because they may have two to three different carers coming in every day and those carers are going into several houses every day, of necessity.

As someone who has repeatedly called for testing at airports, which I first raised with the Tánaiste and the then Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, last April, I welcome the introduction of an airport testing regime. I worry, however, that this particular testing regime may not achieve what it has set out to achieve and may in fact have some unintended consequences.

What is happening at our ports? Is there a similar testing regime at our ports and, in particular, in airports in Northern Ireland? I am aware that Belfast International Airport is offering testing for outgoing passengers but I am not aware of a similar requirement for incoming passengers. If there is not a similar regime for ports and airports in Northern Ireland, and indeed ports here, we are then effectively closing the windows to keep the cold out while leaving the front door open. We have an open border with Northern Ireland and there has to be a degree of co-ordination in that regard.

As the Tánaiste will be aware, it is generally accepted and was explained by Dr. Colm Henry to the Covid-19 committee that polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing will identify as positive someone who has had Covid-19 recently but is no longer infectious. This specific query comes from a constituent but I am sure it is a common issue right across the country. One employee of my constituent went back to England for Christmas, developed Covid-19 and, like the majority albeit not everybody, recovered and is no longer infected by it. However, if this person does a PCR test now, it will be positive and will still detect Covid-19 for some time, even though the person is not infectious right now. Science would suggest that this person has the least chance of redeveloping it or becoming infectious, hence the suggestion that people not be vaccinated perhaps for six months because there is a period when the risk is relatively low. In those circumstances, are these people precluded from coming to Ireland even though they are essential workers and are needed for essential work? Can the test be modified in those specific circumstances for someone who has been positive and will therefore test positive, even though that person clearly is not infectious?

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