Paul Kehoe
Question:196. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport if a testing centre (details supplied) is still operational; if not, the reason for its cessation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24326/21]
View answerTuesday, 11 May 2021
Questions (196)
Written answers
The Covid test centre for HGV drivers at Gorey closed on 21 April along with the two other centres that had been set up in Dublin and Holmestown. The centres were set up under a three month contract that ended on 21 April. It was decided not to renew the contract because most of the requirements for the testing of HGV drivers have now been lifted across Europe.
I should point out that Ireland has continued to exempt essential transport workers travelling in the course of their duties from testing and quarantine requirements when entering Ireland, in the interests of keeping supply chains open.
The test centres were set up and operated in close liaison with the haulage industry representative bodies, who were kept appraised of developments throughout.
Under the contact an Irish company, RocDoc Ltd, set up the centres and provided antigen tests, free of charge, to commercial drivers travelling to the continent. Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Dublin Airport Authority, Wexford County Council and Circle K also helped with the set up.
The centres were set up to allow drivers to meet a French requirement introduced on 28 January 2021 for all truck drivers arriving in France on direct ferries from Ireland to show a negative COVID-19 test result prior to embarkation. A number of other countries introduced similar restrictions around the same time.
France lifted its requirement for drivers entering from Ireland on 5 March and most other test requirements around Europe have also been lifted since then.
In total over 8,000 tests were carried out under the contract. The positivity rate was low at less than 0.3%, which reflects well on the strict health protocols that have been followed within the haulage industry since the start of the pandemic.
Many private testing facilities remain available throughout the country and obviously the public testing facilities are still available to all.