Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the estimated daily volume of demand for airport testing in Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports during December 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39913/20]

Eamon 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 testing for international travel draws on resources from the private sector that are not required by the HSE.

Testing is available at the three State Airports for passengers and the public. It is difficult to estimate with certainty the level of demand for testing given that persons travelling abroad for an essential purpose are not required to restrict movement on return and that testing requirements are, in general, voluntary.

I understand that daa forecasts the average number of tests per day from 30 November to 31 December to be in the region of 665 with almost 1,700 tests envisaged for 23 December. The daa has indicated that the test providers at Dublin Airport have capacity for up to 12,000 tests a day.