ARRIVALS FACE RANDOM TESTS AT AIRPORTS

HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has said the Government is set to introduce random Covid-19 testing at airports.

Speaking yesterday on RTÉ’s This Week, Mr Donnelly said the international situation was becoming more unstable, and that the Government was taking a cautious approach to the issue of foreign travel.

‘We’re introducing random testing at the airports and an increased public health presence and we are examining other options as well for further restrictions on nonessential travel,’ he said.

‘The international situation is becoming more volatile, we’re looking at what has been happening in the United States and Latin America and even closer to home – Spain, Germany, France and parts of England and Australia.

‘We’re taking a cautious approach and we’re continuing to take a cautious approach,’ he said.

Reacting to the news of testing at airports, Sinn Féin’s health spokesman David Cullinane said that he welcomed the measure but called for clarity on what exactly was being proposed for those arriving and departing Irish airports.

‘We also urge maximum allisland alignment on the issue,’ said Mr Cullinane.

He also called for people arriving from high-risk or socalled Red List areas to be required to pay for their own Covid-19 testing and accommodation at designated isolation facilities and ‘only be permitted to enter the State after the isolation period has passed, or two negative Covid19 tests have been recorded’.

‘Such stringent checks on those coming from Covid-19 hot spots will help deter all non-essential travel and reduce the chance of the virus being imported from these areas,’ Mr Cullinane said.

There has been a spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Ireland in the past week. Asked about whether the reopening of those pubs not serving food on August 10 will go ahead, Mr Donnelly said that the Government would make a decision based on advice from the National

Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). The Cabinet is to meet tomorrow to decide whether the country can proceed to Phase Four, which will allow pubs that do not serve food to reopen and for gatherings of more than 50 people.

Mr Donnelly said he did not want to pre-judge NPHET’s advice and that the Government was focused on reopening schools.

‘I don’t want to make any comments on that because that is something for NPHET to come to me with a view on Tuesday, but it is certainly the case that decisions could be made if NPHET deemed necessary in order to keep the opening of schools on track,’ he said.

‘We have closely followed public health advice, both the previous government and this Government, and that has served the country very well.

‘I don’t want to prejudge what NPHET may decide. Certainly, the number one focus is getting the schools reopened.’

Mr Donnelly said that he was sympathetic to the plight of publicans and he could not say whether they should order stock before August 10.