Written answers

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport

Covid-19 Tests

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the specific type of testing that will be used at airports; the locations the testing staff will be seconded from; if they will be hired for the purpose; the testing capacity that will be in place by 1 December 2020; the desired optimal testing capacity; the procedures to be put in place for those who fail testing in the airport; and the Department or agency that will have responsibility for the administering of tests. [36035/20]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Plan for Living with Covid-19 and the Government decision of 20 October both affirm that any testing model implemented for international travel should not impinge on HSE testing capacity. In light of this any testing for international travel will need to draw on resources from the private sector which are not being accessed by the HSE.

The testing regime envisaged under the Government decision relating to international travel will include:

- the possibility for testing post arrival (from day 5) for passengers from EU orange or red list regions; and

- testing for departing passengers who need or wish to complete a pre-departure test requirement before travelling to another country.

Subject to the ongoing review of testing by NPHET and Government, a Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is currently the only test that is accepted for the purposes of allowing the advice relating to restricted movement to be waived. Testing technology and delivery options for facilitating international travel will be kept under review, include LAMP and antigen testing.

The default position for passengers on arrival, for whom testing is an option but who do not opt to take a test, is to follow the restricted movement advice. Wher a test is undertaken, there are public health protocols in place requiring private testing providers to notify a result of a positive Covid-19 PCR test to the HSE.

Shannon and Cork Airports have indicated that drive through testing will be available today, for passengers and the public. The daa has indicated that testing at Dublin Airport by private providers can be increased within weeks. The airports are in effect facilitating private providers to establish and run Covid-19 testing.

Passengers numbers are low at present and, in accordance with travel advice, travel should only be for essential purposes (which allows for the advice to restrict movement to be waived). It is not possible to say with certainty what proportion of future passengers will seek testing but daa is confident that testing supply by private providers can be scaled up at short notice to meet increasing demand.

Passengers are advised that appointments for testing should be sought in good time before travelling.

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