Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

They are not agreed. There are serious questions now arising right across the State in regard to testing capacity. People could not book a PCR test yesterday in Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford, and we are getting similar reports from across the country. Meanwhile, the Government is dithering still on antigen testing. We need to make time for the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to come before the House to make a statement on this matter and to take questions. There is, as was said earlier, huge concern right across society at the growing rates of infection and the prospect of further restrictions. We are only weeks away from Christmas and people's inability to access testing is really, as they might say, putting the tin hat on things for people. We need an explanation for the lack of planning and lack of capacity, and that needs to come from the Minister for Health.

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