A local TD says Rapid Antigen Testing for Covid-19 should be piloted at IT Carlow.
Fianna Fáil’s Jennifer Murnane O’Connor says Carlow College St Patrick’s should also be included in the scheme.
A government report has recommended widespread rapid testing in all third-level institutions and the associated accommodation.
Pilot schemes are being planned to see how these tests could be rolled out nationally and Deputy Murnane O’Connor says she’s already been lobbying the Education Minister to have Carlow included in these, telling KCLR News “I’ve been in contact straight away with the Minister, you know, for the two colleges because we’ve got St Pats and Carlow IT so I think it’s so important that we be part of this pilot scheme so no I have actually been in contact with the Minister and I will fight to see that we will be part of that pilot scheme”.
She adds “I think it’s very important that we in Carlow are part of that pilot scheme and I have been in contact with the Minister because I just feel it’s so important, I’ve had so many students contact me to say that they really want to get back to third-level and again it’s vital for them and I think it’s vital that they go back to college so I just really want to welcome this and we haven’t got a time date yet but I have also been in contact with the Minister to see can we get this started as soon as possible”.
And Deputy Murnane O’Connor says the sooner this technology can be brought in the better for students locally and across the whole country, noting “It’s such a good step for colleges and, you know, whether it’s your institute of technology, your universities and it is four being piloted but look it on the bigger scale, and I’ve said this to the Minister, we now need to look at colleges and institutes of technology so that they can be part of this because this will bring normality back to students so that they can go back to college and feel that bit more safer going back, so I think and I will be promoting this that we roll this across all colleges, universities and institutes of technology, that is what I will be looking for”.
