Sinn Féin leader wants everyone to get free antigen tests and collect them from schools

Mary Lou McDonald said: "Up the road in the North school kids get a certain number of them every week, so it can be done."

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: "This is a public health emergency and in emergency circumstances you take emergency measures."

Mary Lou McDonald is calling on the Government to provide free antigen tests to everyone, many of which could be dispensed through schools.

The Sinn Féin leader has also suggested that schools be used to vaccinate younger age groups in the New Year, instead of vaccination centres or GP surgeries. Ms McDonald said antigen tests remain very expensive for some people and should be freely available to the public to encourage greater use of the tests.