Hotel quarantine and PCR testing
Deputy Doherty criticises the lack of mandatory post-arrival hotel quarantine and the continued discretion over PCR testing for arrivals. The Tánaiste says negative PCR testing is required, quarantine applies without it, and a move to two tests five days apart is under consideration; the exchange is cut short by time and chair interventions.
The failure to introduce a mandatory post-arrival hotel quarantine for international travellers arriving in the State has been well-flagged. It is a glaring omission in the Government's plan to contain the importation of cases of Covid-19 and is a decision which must be reversed. There is, however, another glaring omission, namely, the failure of the Government to act on the advice of NPHET and the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, with regard to ending discretion in the taking of a post-arrival PCR test by all international arrivals. NPHET has said that its modelling shows that even the best performance in respect of pre-departure Covid-19 tests will miss up to 40% of cases. I know the Tánaiste avoids answering my question but perhaps he will try to answer this one; why has the Government chosen to ignore the advice of NPHET and the CMO as to the issue of post-arrival PCR testing? Will it introduce a mandatory requirement for all international arrivals to take a PCR test post arrival, as recommended by NPHET?
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As the Deputy will know, we now require that anybody entering the State to have a negative PCR test. If people do not have such a test, they are subject to mandatory hotel quarantine. We are examining a change which would result in a requirement for two tests, five days apart. This is recommended by NPHET and we are giving it full consideration. We will make a decision in that regard quite soon. This is the model used in Iceland where two tests are required, five days apart, with quarantine in between. That may well be where we go.
I will ask the Deputy to do something for us. Sinn Féin is in government on this island and there are two things it can do to help. Sinn Féin co-chairs the Government in Northern Ireland. It is not now the case that people arriving in Belfast have to have a negative PCR test, let alone two. I ask the Deputy to use his influence as a member of the leadership of Sinn Féin to have mandatory PCR testing introduced for people arriving into Belfast in addition to quarantine for those who do not have such a test. I also ask the Deputy to use his influence to put a stop-----
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-----the attendees are his party's people, members and supporters. The Deputy and Deputy McDonald have to tell people to stop these funerals. They are a bad idea.