Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I will not mention the lack of capacity in testing, chaotic scenes at vaccination centres or the lack of action on ventilation in schools. I raised questions specifically on antigen tests.

How can the Taoiseach guarantee affordability and quality? The current European direction states: "The performance of antigen tests is self-assessed by the manufacturers prior to their release." The group chaired by Professor Mary Horgan, which examined this issue, made very clear that it does not recommend specific tests for use and, therefore, it is important that we "ensure there is robust ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the test". How does the Taoiseach propose to ensure there is "ongoing robust monitoring" of these tests to ensure quality standards? At the moment, the market decides the price and, if people are chasing a low price, it is inevitable poor-quality tests will come on the market, given the lack of regulation in this area. How does the Taoiseach propose to ensure quality and affordability in regard to these tests?

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