Dáil debates

Thursday, 14 January 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:30 pm

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For now, the only exceptions to having to have a negative PCR test result on coming into the country are if one is under six years of age, if one is part of the transport supply chain such as the pilot, cabin crew or haulier or for compassionate grounds where someone needs to race back to the country in an emergency. We can consider further exceptions into the future and I will take up what the Deputy has mentioned with our medical people and scientists. We want to see first how this works before we start adding new exceptions, which I believe the Deputy will understand. Thus far, at least with people coming from Britain, it is working very well. More than 97% of people arriving in Ireland from Britain through our airports have had the negative test. As to the other 3%, that is a matter for the Garda and the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

The jury is still out on vitamin D supplementation. There is some evidence suggesting that it could be beneficial. I am not going to do a Donald Trump here and recommend remdesivir, chloroquine or anything else until we are in a position that we have more conclusive evidence as to whether it is beneficial. Again that is something I will take up with our medical people.

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