Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support the introduction of it but the Deputy and everyone in this House agreed that we would take on board expert advice and public health advice. Those authorities have not been as enthusiastic about it because they believe polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing is the gold standard. The Deputy knows that and I know that as the Deputy has been briefed on that in public health meetings just as well as I have. That said, NPHET has stated antigen testing has a role in terms of outbreak settings and so on. Professor Mark Ferguson is chairing a group on antigen testing. That group will be reporting shortly with a view to implementing additional antigen testing. Resources are there for public health infrastructure. Testing and tracing has expanded very significantly in recent months and that should be acknowledged.

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