Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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123. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that in Mullingar Covid testing centre, the National Ambulance Service will take over Covid testing capacity and be on standby in the event of a winter surge, given that it has been well documented nationally that the NAS does not have enough personnel to cover the ambulance service; and if he will provide details of the way in which the NAS expects to manage in the event of a winter surge of Covid. [55724/22]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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124. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to reports that there are concerns from residents that the greater midlands area will now be left with a very reduced Covid testing service, given that at its busiest last winter, the Mullingar Covid testing centre alone swabbed on average 800 to 1,000 persons per day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55725/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together.

I have accepted updated advice from the Chief Medical Officer relating to COVID-19 Testing, Tracing and Surveillance which has also been approved by the Government.

In the coming weeks, the HSE will be adopting a targeted approach for COVID-19 testing which will be based on a clinical assessment where a clinician requires the result to contribute to the diagnosis and management of an individual patient. Swabbing will be undertaken by GPs in these circumstances. Testing will also take place where deemed necessary by Public Health in relation to the management of an outbreak or specific public health risk.

Based on the revised public health advice, community swabbing will no longer be a feature of our COVID-19 response as testing will no longer be recommended for the general population. The implementation of this advice will reduce the scale of testing and contact tracing around the country and is leading to consolidation of resources in the period ahead, including the closure of community testing facilities which will no longer be required. The HSE has also developed extensive plans for surge and emergency responses for future requirements for testing and tracing should that need be identified. This includes additional resources that I have provided to the National Ambulance Service to recruit permanent Intermediate Care Operatives who will be deployed for swabbing purposes should the need arise to reintroduce community swabbing in the future but who will be deployed on ambulance service duties in the meantime.

The contractual arrangements relating to staff employed by the HSE as community swabbers is an operational matter which is the responsibility of the HSE. I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible in relation to this matter. 

The approach to COVID-19 testing is facilitated by the high level of vaccine-induced and naturally acquired population immunity in Ireland. This is mitigating against the worst impacts of infection.

I have also provided additional resources to the HSE to ensure enhancements are put in place to existing infectious disease surveillance systems. This will ensure effective monitoring and signalling of what is happening with the virus at population level, and so that we can understand disease transmission and severity along with population immunity and risk.

The pandemic is not over, and COVID-19 is still a concern so testing remains an important part of our ongoing response to the disease for individuals vulnerable to its effects and for whom testing is indicated. For everybody, continuing to follow our public health advice available on hse.ie is still important. Anybody who has symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate until 48 hours after the symptoms are mostly or fully gone. Anybody who has concerns about an underlying condition or their level of risk in relation to COVID-19 is advised to seek advice from their GP or treating clinician.

My Department, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL), overseen by the Chief Medical Officer, continue to review the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in Ireland and internationally. This includes the on-going close monitoring of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and assessment of any potential threat to population health.