Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is my next point. When the Deputy suggests that I or others are not listening to the science, she knows that it is simply not true. It is a good sound bite, but the Deputy, I and everyone in here knows the Government's response has been public health led. The Deputy suggests I will not listen to anyone other than NPHET and then gives the example of antigen testing. I set up an expert group, led by the chief scientific officer, to give me advice other than that of NPHET. I took that advice and then I set up an implementation group, led by Professor Horgan, and that is the reason much of the work on antigen testing happened. It is simply not true and I know the Deputy knows it is not true, to suggest-----

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