Matt Shanahan presses for rapid airport testing amid aviation crisis

Minister, as you know, our aviation sector is in crisis. Could I ask you to update the House, please, on the trials of proposed pre-flight airport testing and airport protocols before entering into Ireland, the stage of the process and the position regarding the overall situation in relation to air travel in and out of the country? Thank you, Deputy. Thank you for your question. The government's approach to international travel to date has sought to protect public health and contain the disease, while respecting that in certain circumstances travel will be essential. Under the plan for living with COVID-19, it is proposed that Ireland will broadly support the European Commission's proposals on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And we will continue to engage with Member States and the Commission to develop a regime that is consistent with the public health requirements. The European Commission proposal is to promote a common approach to travel restrictions and movement within the EU. A coordinated approach among Member States requires joint efforts on four key points. The application of common criteria and thresholds in deciding whether to introduce restrictions to free movement. The mapping of common criteria using an agreed colour code. The adoption of a common approach as to the measures applied to persons moving to and from areas identified as higher risk. And providing the public with clear, comprehensive and timely information about any restrictions and accompanying requirements. The proposal from the Commission is still under consideration by Member States, but there are three components. One, common use of epi data to determine which country is on which list, quarantine or self-restrictions, and testing at airports. Preparations for the implementation of the European Commission proposal would ensure that the establishment of any pre-departure or on-arrival testing arrangements for incoming travellers do not impact on testing and tracing of symptomatic patients and serial testing of high-risk groups or workplace environments. My Department is therefore engaging with the Department of Health and the HSE in looking at possible ways to provide for a robust testing or screening regime which is consistent with public health requirements and cognizant of resources and capacity available within our health sector for the testing and tracing of the general public to allow for increased international travel. I think it's abundantly clear that the sector is in crisis. I think we have, as has been documented internationally, we have higher strictures on the level of activity in the aviation sector at the moment. We have Brexit coming down the tracks and people are going to need access to air travel in order to create new connections and to open new markets. And I think one of the issues of testing is I'm not sure how widely we have been looking at testing rather than waiting for Europe to come up with possible opportunities. I brought into COVID committees some time ago the availability of antigen testing and it hasn't been looked at. These are short-term 20-minute turnaround tests which could be used in aviation. I can't understand why they're not been spoken about or why they're not being approached. I would welcome the idea of a European-wide protocol in terms of aviation. But I would point out that we are probably not on a lot of countries' green lists and we're not going to get there unless we can get something done in community here as well. But I would like to see more priority given to the issue of testing and quick turnaround tests. Thank you Deputy and yesterday just to inform you I met with the CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority Dalton Phillips in relation to the potential of testing at our airports. And the DAA is exploring options for COVID testing involving modelling against a possible new approach to international travel requirements in line with the European coordinated approach to help assess the possible business and public health impacts under different scenarios. So they're going to factor in projected passenger demand and availability of testing supply capacity and that will inform our decision making. But it is clear and one of the big concerns is that whatever testing regime is put in place that it doesn't impact on our own public health testing capacity here within the country and we're all very mindful of that. And I agree Deputy that getting international travel back up is absolutely essential and it's critical that we do it in a safe way. Where it is evidence-based also. Thank you Minister and I would just reiterate the importance of the aviation sector to Ireland with the largest leasing centre in the world for aircraft as you probably know. We also have the issues of particularly with respect to Ryanair in terms of services into Cork and Shannon and NOC as well. And I would also ask you please if you would update me on the present situation of Waterford Airport's application for funding there under the Department of Transport. We are to get a new runway there in the future and we're certainly hoping that we'll be out past COVID restrictions that we can get services into Waterford which is very important to have a South East Regional Airport link as well. If you please so maybe as I said to come back and could I just also give a shout out to all of those in the Aer Lingus particularly employment and Ryanair who are suffering a complete drop in their salary scales and see what we can do in order to support that sector into the future if you please. Thank you. Thank you Deputy. Thank you Deputy. There are a number of issues there and just finally in relation to the testing regime and again it's important that we align ourselves broadly with Europe and in relation to that it's important to say that the European proposal is a commission recommendation for council consideration on the 13th of October for adoption as a council recommendation. So the proposal has been dealt with under the interior and home affairs branch of the commission. So initial indications from the Irish permanent representation are that this will be a challenging proposal for member states also. So the issue around testing it is complicated. There's a lot of discussions happening here within my own department as I say I met with the DAA yesterday. The officials in my department yesterday also had meetings with the HSE and the Department of Health in relation to our approach. So every focus and effort is being put into the testing regime and ensuring that we can do that. In relation to the regional airports my next question is in relation to that and I can come back to you specifically on Waterford again. Thank you.