Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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358. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons that have used airport testing in Irish airports in which testing is available; the number of incoming international travellers that have used the testing; the number of local residents that have used the facility for private tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1392/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Government decision of 20 October 2020 affirmed that any testing model implemented for international travel should not impinge on HSE testing capacity. In light of this, the State Airports facilitated the location of private testing providers at Cork, Shannon and Dublin Airports. The testing facilities in question are open to any member of the public requesting a Covid-19 test, whether travelling or not.

Neither the State Airports nor my Department have any operational role in the provision of the testing services.

The daa facilitates two commercial companies – Randox and RocDoc - to operate separate Covid-19 testing facilities at Dublin and Cork airports. RocDoc provide services at Shannon Airport also. These testing service providers have advised daa and the Shannon Airport Authority concerning headline figures for testing to date.

There have been a total of 93,158 bookings for Covid-19 tests up to 15 March 2021 across both service providers since testing facilities opened in November 2020 at Cork Airport and Dublin Airport. In the region of 4,100 Covid-19 tests have been carried out by the private testing provider located at Shannon Airport up to 18 March 2021.

It should be noted that the estimated figures I have provided do not reflect the full extent of Covid-19 testing for prospective arriving (or departing) passengers, given that many other commercial providers outside of the airport’s testing facilities also provide such service.