Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her for being here. I know she is aware that 143,000 jobs in Ireland are associated with aviation. The industry is now on its knees and the main priority is its survival. That concerns not just those who are flying; Senator Garvey just mentioned Lufthansa Tecknik in Shannon, which is vital as well, but I am sure there are colleagues who will have more to say on that. As we speak, over 1,200 airline pilots who are members of IALPA are living on social welfare, and the remainder are on 25% to 30% of their normal pay. It is unbelievable. I have met pilots personally outside the gate. We have this grand image of pilots earning super money and having a wonderful lifestyle. In reality they are on their knees. These are people who committed to large mortgages and all the things that go with the job they had. I state on the floor of the House that I am 100% behind IALPA and everything it is trying to do for its members. We are now coming into the second summer of travel restrictions. Airline staff and their families are facing continued hardship well into 2022. Members will have seen hundreds of aviation workers demonstrating outside the Department of Health last week. Before participating in this event - and I know the Minister of State mentioned antigen testing and I was glad to hear it - they were all tested with antigen testing. It shows how large groups of people can be tested in a very short space of time. The international evidence seems clear that it is a tool in the box, not the solution but a tool in the box.

Last week's appearance by NPHET before the transport committee was depressing, to say the very least. The Chief Medical Officer, CMO, seems wedded to his position at the moment and it is very hard to change that. I noticed that under constant questioning from some of my colleagues, he did tend to sort of back off a little bit and saw some merit in antigen testing and that is good. The man from Harvard, whom Senator Buttimer questioned on antigen testing at the previous week's meeting of that committee, was very interesting. I am sure the Senator will have more to say on that. As the House will know, on 21 January EU states unanimously agreed to Council recommendations setting a common framework for the use of rapid antigen testing and the mutual recognition of Covid-19 tests across Europe. The bottom line on it is that most European countries have now signed up to antigen testing. The SARS-CoV-2 variants are of concern to us and I have no doubt whatsoever that the Delta variant, as it is now being called, is one we should all be quite concerned about. However, is it reason enough to ground all our aircraft? The EU advice contains a common list of rapid antigen tests. I know it is not the Minister of State's fault but it is rather sad that as far back as a year ago, in fact at the very start of this, or as soon as antigen tests became available, colleagues from all over this House were in on a weekly basis talking about antigen testing and trying to open the economy as much as we possibly could but still, for some reason or other, Government was unwilling or unable to go against the CMO.Colleagues across this House spoke on a weekly basis about the use of antigen testing in trying to open the economy as much as we possibly could but the Government, for one reason or another, was unwilling or unable to go again the Chief Medical Officer, CMO. I understand why that might be the case. Sometimes political decisions have to be taken that countermand the medical decisions on the day. Several studies show that rapid antigen testing is very well able to detect high viral loads, correlating to the infectiousness of a person.... .Mean it will be more apporipaitae tool in widespread application in Irish society.

I understand why that might be the case but sometimes political decisions have to be taken that countermand the medical decisions on the day. Several studies show that rapid antigen testing is very well able to detect high viral loads correlating to the infectiousness of a person, meaning it would be a more appropriate tool in widespread application in Irish society.

I spoke to a person who was planning on travelling this summer. She asked her GP about travelling for three or four hours on an aircraft. The GP maintained she was more at risk going through the airport than she would be on the plane once she was tested. That is something we have to take on board. I understand the filtration systems on aircraft are very good but I also understand anybody who gets on an aircraft will have been tested. A key factor is the speed of testing.

A number of companies operate in Dublin Airport where passengers can have a test and fly with a certain degree of confidence. I am not sure about the position in Cork and Shannon airports, which my colleagues will address. I was rather shocked to hear a doctor state the other day that he would feel totally uncomfortable sitting beside somebody on an aircraft who had had a negative antigen test. I find that very hard to take. It is quite frightening for anybody who is planning on travelling.

We are the most locked up country in Europe. On the one hand, the Government states how important aviation and tourism are, yet we are blocking such travel into the country. I would hope to see transatlantic traffic coming back into the country. As the Minister of State comes from the west, as do I, counties such as Galway, Kerry and Donegal all depend on US transatlantic tourists coming into the country every year. I would hope to see that happen. It is amazing to think the United States is now almost back to pre-Covid times.

Before I conclude, I will make one final point.