Taoiseach: Government finalising traffic light system for air travel

Rapid antigen tests  for Covid-19  being assessed by public health officials

A deserted check-in area at Cork Airport. Passenger testing forms part of the EU traffic light system that will come into effect early in November. Picture: Larry Cummins

New protocols to test and handle air passengers under the EU traffic light system will be in place by early November, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

Speaking at the Cork Chamber Business Breakfast on Thursday, Mr Martin said rapid antigen tests that can test for Covid-19 in a matter of minutes were being assessed by public health officials and could form part of the 'weaponry' when lockdowns are eased.

The Taoiseach was responding to a question from Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy on the impact the pandemic has had on air travel after Ryanair announced it was closing its bases in Cork and Shannon for the winter.

"We are opting into the EU system but the problem is many countries are on the red list," Mr Martin said. "The reality is the virus has collapsed travel. That is just the reality. But that said we do need to be preparing ourselves for emerging out of this.

"By early November we will have our position very clear in terms of the precise way we are going to introduce the EU commission protocols for people coming in from red countries for people coming in from orange countries."

"The numbers are quite horrifying when you look at the amount travelling last year compared to now."

He said there has been a reluctance by health officials and the Government to approve rapid antigen tests which are still being assessed by countries across the globe.

"HIQA did a big study and public health are now validating that," the Taoiseach said. "The French are going to utilise antigen testing which they feel will be a game-changer. I'm looking for an acceleration of the responses from public health on this. Even as a complementary weapon on top of the PCR testing that we currently have," he said.

The Taoiseach spoke of the difficulties with the contract tracing programme that led to the service being overwhelmed last weekend.

"We have been setting up a separate and dedicated workforce for contract tracing. There are 400 people working there now. That will grow to 800. 60 to 70 people are being hired per week."

Mr Martin said CPL are carrying out the recruitment and management for the HSE.

"The HSE are now saying to us they have the capacity to handle 1,500 positive cases per day as and from the beginning of this week. We are putting the pressure on to make sure what happened last weekend does not happen again."

Mr Martin also said 234,000 tests have taken place in nursing homes since August as part of a serial testing program and similarly large numbers in meat plants with low positivity rates coming back. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin addressing the Cork Chamber Business Breakfast held in association with Ronan Daly Jermyn and the Irish Examiner.

In his address, the Taoiseach also referred to Tuesday's flooding event in Cork city and said the opponents of a Morrison’s Island flood defence scheme should "reflect" on their positioning and consider "pulling back" in light of the flood events which occurred this week.

"Critically it is the flood relief scheme that has to happen. I would hope that the issues around the judicial review and those involved may reflect on this and some mediation could take place to effect the removal of the roadblocks to the development of that flood relief scheme," he said.

The Taoiseach agreed that the second wave of the pandemic was depressing. Speaking about the State's overarching Covid response policy, he said: "We are not in favour of a zero Covid. We don't think geographically we are in a position to achieve that. Nor are we in favour of the herd immunity. So we are in a position where we want to suppress the virus and keep it at low numbers so that economic activity can work and continue.

"I was at the EU Council last week. It was quite depressing from all the EU leaders at the increasing rate of the virus in their own states.

"At EU level there is strong coordination in relation to the procurement of a vaccine. Europe has now signed up with three manufacturers; AstraZeneca Oxford vaccine, Jannsen and Sanofi-GSK and they are exploring deals with three others so that when a vaccine would come on stream we have entered a pre-purchase agreement in terms of supply of dosage."

Speaking to the business leaders of Cork, Mr Martin said the Government had a clear focus for the current Level 5 restrictions.

"The objective over the next six weeks is to get the numbers well below the r0 number so that we can emerge at the beginning of December and get the traders open again in advance of Christmas. That is important economically but also socially. in terms of people's lives."