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

We have scaled up our testing capacity considerably. We can provide tests for about 30,000 people a day now. Unfortunately, with so many people experiencing respiratory symptoms, there is no system in any country that could deal with that number of people with symptoms looking for a test. As has been the case at other points of the pandemic, we now have to prioritise those with a GP referral and close contacts who have symptoms. The National Public Health Emergency Team is examining the testing criteria at present to see what further prioritisation we can carry out.

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