We have had much discussion on capacity as regards testing, tracing and isolating. We have a particular problem with regard to tracing at this point. Regardless of what happened in the past, this needs to be remedied. I have particular questions about rapid testing. Approximately two weeks ago, the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, spoke here about a number of pilots that were being carried out in parallel with polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing for antigen. What is the set-up with that? We also know about the National Virus Reference Laboratory, NVRL, doing testing with regard to loop-mediated isothermal amplification, LAMP. I really want to know about those antigen pilots. What is the timeline and the methodology in the context of validation? These will add to our capacity as regards dealing with the problems relating to air travel and also those relating to schools. We need quicker turnaround.

Deputy Buckley wishes to contribute on the same matter.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.

We cannot hear the Deputy up there. He will need to come down into the Chamber. While we wait for Deputy Buckley to come down, Deputies Murnane O'Connor and Higgins will speak.

I will also wish to raise the issue of testing and tracing. On Friday, a child at a school in County Carlow was diagnosed with Covid-19. The pod, of course, was sent home straight away and the school showed excellent compliance. The school, however, rang the HSE on the Friday which immediately referred it to a Dublin number. The person at the Dublin number rang back and said no nurses were available. On Saturday and Sunday, again, they contacted the public health team and on Sunday evening they had to contact the local GP. They were tested on Monday and told that there could be a five-day delay for the results. I worry about this because it is a school but there is another case about which I am extremely worried. Again, on Friday, a lady in County Carlow and her baby were diagnosed with Covid-19. She was asked to give her contact list, which she gave to the HSE that day. On Monday she rang me with the list and I contacted the HSE. Today, six days on from her diagnosis, the people on her list are only being tested. I worry people are being asked to give their lists. The contact tracing list is not going to work. There is such confusion. Perhaps the Taoiseach will check on this matter for me to see if it can be handled better.

Scientists are to the forefront when it comes to helping us in the fight against Covid-19. The antigen tests that have been developed and are being rolled out in other countries have proven successful. Can we get an update on how this is going to be introduced in Ireland? Is HIQA doing testing on the tests? After we emerge from this lockdown, will we be in a place to be able to use antigen testing collaboratively along with our usual testing in test centres?

I do not want to sound alarmist but I have been contacted by family members whose brother went to hospital in Cork the day before yesterday to get tested because he has underlying problems with multiple sclerosis. He went through the full process and when he asked when he would get the results, he was told to go home and that the hospital would mark him down as a positive test. In two more instances, two people filled out the forms at the drive-through testing centre, waited for over three hours and then left. They received text messages later in the day.

Which hospital in Cork?

I believe it was Cork University Hospital, CUH.

He went to get tested in CUH.

I believe it was CUH. I am not 100% but it was one of the hospitals in Cork. I believe the drive-in test centre where two people waited too long and left, and a number of hours later got a text back to say they tested positive, is in Carrigtwohill.

Many people out there are frightened. Can we get clarity on what are serious results relating to Covid and on the nature of results relating to people who are asymptomatic? Finally, can we assure the elderly and those with underlying problems that, despite the situation we are in, the mortality rate is not as bad as people believe? The perception that exists means that people are really panicking.

Testing and tracing are the cause of the trouble we are in and why we must go back to level 5 again. Many sick people with other illnesses are suffering because they will have to wait longer. Doctors are out of flu injections. The Government is throwing loads of money at the HSE and there is loads of testing but no tracing. I will ask one serious question. I have asked it twice before and no one has come back to me. Is a member of NPHET involved in testing and is that person benefiting financially from that involvement? The main question is what company is involved and are proper procurement laws being adhered to in the securing of the testing kits?

There are a wide range of questions. First, regarding the original question asked by Deputy Ó Murchú about antigen testing, HIQA produced a major study on this. It has been clinically validated now. I asked again for a report from it through the oversight committee which asked this morning if it could have the report next week in terms of how that is progressing. I am being candid with the Deputy. There has been a policy issue here. Many people on the public health side were not, in the early stages, convinced about the effectiveness or validity of antigen testing. Other countries have adopted it. I mentioned that in an earlier exchange. I am interested in seeing if antigen testing can be an important complement to PCR testing and if it could help in certain settings. When this is clinically validated vis-à-vis PCR and we get outcomes, hopefully, we can get some results and some clear trajectory on the direction of travel in terms of the utilisation of antigen testing more quickly than I had been told earlier. That applies to all the questions asked by other Deputies as well.

On the specific cases mentioned by Deputies Murnane O'Connor and Buckley, if the Deputies send me the details, I can talk to the HSE about them. The HSE is meeting all testing demand and 95% of tests are done within the time limits. The contact tracing system came under enormous pressure last week. We are now doing 115,000 tests, as Deputy Danny Healy-Rae mentioned. We now rank 11th highest in the world for testing. We are testing a lot, far more than we tested before.

There has not been adequate tracing all year. That is why we are where we are.

No. Community tracing has improved dramatically as well. There are now far more people working in community tracing than there were previously. Community transmission has been at a very high level for the past number of weeks. The HSE has said it will be able to deal with 1,500 positive cases a day from next week onwards in respect of community tracing.

We have to move on. The Taoiseach might communicate with the other Deputies.