Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2021-11-25
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Leo Varadkar (FG), Dublin West

That is why we have to prioritise and it is not the first time we have had to do so during the pandemic. From time to time, we have to prioritise testing those who need the test most. We are prioritising those with a GP referral and symptomatic close contacts of people who have Covid. From time to time, NPHET has had to change the testing criteria and that may be necessary again because there is only so much capacity any testing system can possibly have. It is no different north of the Border and in other parts of Europe and the world.
In terms of what the Deputy said about capacity, for anyone who is interested in facts - there are some people, at least, who are interested in facts - it is worth reading Health in Ireland - Key Trends 2021, published by the Department of Health the other day.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2021-11-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:49:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2021-11-25