Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator again. As I stated earlier, the HSE advises that it is currently meeting all testing demand nationally and across the end-to-end tracing process, with adequate swabbing and laboratory capacity. The HSE has had capacity to conduct approximately 100,000 tests since May, about 30% of which was off-shore. However, over the summer months, it has built laboratory capacity up to 100,000 per week on the island. In addition, the HSE has added surge capacity of 2,000 per day from its German laboratory partner.

I appreciate the constructive way in which Senator McGreehan has raised this matter and take on board the points she has made. She has acknowledged that the centre in Ardee is working very well and that there is sufficient capacity there. The issue is the distance people from north County Louth have to travel to reach the centre and I will relay her concerns in this regard to the Minister for Health.