Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I begin by extending my sympathies and those of my party to the families and friends of the 27 people, including children, who died in the English Channel yesterday. This tragedy, I am sure the Tánaiste will agree, underscores the need for Europe and Britain to respond comprehensively to the issues because the current approach is simply not working. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.

Tá fadhb mhór ann maidir le tástálacha polymerase chain reaction, PCR. Níl siad le fáil i mórchuid den Stát maidin inniu. Go simplí, tharla sé seo mar nach bhfuil an plean ag an Rialtas le dul i ngleic leis an bhfadhb seo. Tá an phaindéim linn anois le thart ar dhá bhliain. Tá fadhbanna ann go fóill ó thaobh ár seirbhísí sláinte, lenár n-otharlanna, lenár scoileanna agus níl plean ar fáil go fóill maidir le tástálacha antigen ar chostas saor in aisce nó réasúnta. Ar an Rialtas atá an locht seo agus níl dabht ar bith ina thaobh sin.

I am sure we have all seen the comments this morning on social media and the bit of banter about how it is easier to get Garth Brooks tickets in this State than a PCR test. Other posters say they have Garth Brooks tickets which they are willing to swap for a PCR slot. While that might be a bit of light banter, the reality is very serious. It is impossible to book a PCR test in most of the State as we speak. There are no slots available in Dublin, Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford or Wicklow. There are no slots to be got for love nor money. In other counties there are a number of slots left, which I am sure will be gone in the next number of hours.

This is a direct result of the Government’s failure to plan, which has been seen time and again throughout the course of this pandemic. We see GP services overwhelmed and schools that are struggling and we still do not have a plan from Government to make antigen tests free or even subsidised. Nearly two years into this pandemic, we have a system that needs to be equipped to cope with higher levels of transmission, which were always a possibility. When we reopened our economy there was always a chance of higher transmission. Therefore, plans needed to be put in place and executed but the Government has failed drastically in this matter.

In our hospitals, especially intensive care units, ICUs, we see the sharpest impact. The ongoing capacity crisis in ICUs did not happen overnight or in the past number of months or, indeed, years. It is a legacy of successive Governments and Ministers for Health. The Tánaiste was one of those Ministers for Health and he was also Taoiseach during part of that time. The vaccination programme and restrictions gave us time to prepare our hospitals for the surges but that opportunity has been squandered. On the brink of Christmas, we now find ourselves in another crisis. That is inexcusable.

I heard the Tánaiste speaking on radio this morning. He does not seem to understand that for many people, not having access to a PCR test is the difference between getting paid or not. It is all well and good saying people should take a few days off while they wait for a test but for many workers and families, that is simply not an option. The Tánaiste's continued failure, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to put in place a sick pay scheme has made this situation worse for thousands of workers.

Some counties have a very real problem, particularly in the east and south east, where people can wait for up to three days for a test. The HSE needs to be managed in respect of its resources and ensuring they are deployed where they are needed most. We need to boost capacity into the public system. We will have a need for a high volume of testing for the foreseeable future. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach. We also need resources for laboratories and medical sciences and we need a quicker turnaround time.

I ask the Tánaiste to outline to the public, particularly in those counties where thousands of people cannot get a test today, what the Government is doing to respond to this. What is the plan or is it a case of the Government simply closing its eyes, crossing its fingers and hoping this goes away?

There has been extremely high and sustained demand for Covid-19 testing at community test centres over the past number of weeks. This reflects both the high prevalence of the disease in our community at the moment but also the fact that there are many other respiratory illnesses and viruses circulating in the community. With so many people, hundreds of thousands of people every day, experiencing symptoms of cold, flu, Covid-19 and other illnesses, no system in any country could cope with this level of demand. That is the situation we are in now. As is the case during many periods of the pandemic, it is necessary for us to prioritise and adjust testing criteria in order to prioritise those most in need of a test.

The system is operating in excess of surge capacity and, as a result, decisions in respect of the prioritisation of test availability have been necessary. Priority is now being given to those for whom a GP believes a test is warranted and close contacts who are symptomatic. Those two groups are having their tests prioritised. Ensuring these two groups are prioritised does not mean that test slots may not be available on the booking portal at a particular point in time. It is important to say, however, that the system is constantly monitored and extra appointments are added throughout the day. We now have the capacity to test over 30,000 people a day, which is more than was ever the case at any point in this pandemic.

The high prevalence of Covid-19 in the community and the extremely high demands on the testing system make it prudent from a public health point of view to adhere to appointment-based testing at this time. The HSE is making every effort necessary to respond to the very significant demand arising for PCR testing, including the recruitment of additional community test centre staff and also making arrangements with private providers, where available.

Despite any delays that may be experienced, it is critical that we reiterate the public health advice that if people are experiencing the symptoms of Covid - a high temperature, a new cough or a change in perception of taste or smell - they should restrict their movements, stay at home and avoid interacting with other people in their household, at least until they have the test and get their test result back.

It is also important to point out in response to the Deputy’s comments that people who are off sick with Covid, have been told to self-isolate or are at home waiting for a test do qualify for the enhanced illness benefit payment. That remains in place and is paid at a much higher rate than is the case in Northern Ireland, for example, where the Deputy’s party has been in charge of the administration for more than 20 years.

On sick pay, as Minister, I am personally committed to sick pay legislation and I am determined to get it over the line. Legislation is currently in committee and is being scrutinised by the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which is chaired by a Sinn Féin Deputy, as Deputy Doherty knows. I appreciate that the committee wants to carry out the scrutiny thoroughly but I encourage it to complete that pre-legislative scrutiny sooner rather than later so that I can bring the legislation into the House. That is the rate-limiting step at the moment.

As we come into the winter period, we will always have an increase in respiratory illnesses. We have this conversation every year; it is like déjà vu. The problem is not that we are in the winter period or the flu period but that the Government has not planned. It has not planned for increased capacity and, therefore, in most of the State people cannot get an appointment for a PCR test today.

I echo the comments the Tánaiste made on the public health advice.

People should follow that advice. However, as we ask the public to step up, as we ask people to make sacrifices, isolate themselves, stay away from family and curtail their contacts, as we ask people who work in the night-time sector to close down that sector during specific periods, people are also asking the Government to step up and to respond. We need to increase capacity and have an approach that is all hands on deck. There is no guarantee that, in January, we will not have additional need for PCR tests. Where is the plan for additional capacity in order that people in these counties can book a test if they need one?

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta.

When is the Government going to come forward with a plan in regard to antigen tests?

The problem we are facing is that we have a pandemic that is not under control and is unpredictable. We have capacity to carry out approximately 30,000 PCR tests a day in our swabbing centres and even more than that in our laboratories, but there are limits to capacity in any system, in any country. When we have a situation where, on any given day, there could be hundreds of thousands of people with respiratory symptoms, there is no capacity that could deal with or cope with that.

What are the limits?

That is why we have to prioritise and it is not the first time we have had to do so during the pandemic. From time to time, we have to prioritise testing those who need the test most. We are prioritising those with a GP referral and symptomatic close contacts of people who have Covid. From time to time, NPHET has had to change the testing criteria and that may be necessary again because there is only so much capacity any testing system can possibly have. It is no different north of the Border and in other parts of Europe and the world.

In terms of what the Deputy said about capacity, for anyone who is interested in facts - there are some people, at least, who are interested in facts - it is worth reading Health in Ireland - Key Trends 2021, published by the Department of Health the other day.

Thank you, Tánaiste.

We have been increasing the number of hospital beds in Ireland since 2015.

We are over time.

We have 900 more beds today than we had before the pandemic began. There are 600 people with Covid in hospital.

Tá mé ag bogadh ar aghaidh.

We have 44% more doctors in Ireland than we had ten years ago.

There are 14,000 beds now, compared with 22,000 before.

What about ICU beds?

There are 300 ICU beds now and we have funded for 340.

Táimid tar an am. Bhur dtacaíocht, más é bhur dtoil é. The next speaker is Deputy Cairns for the Social Democrats.