Sinn Féin deputy Dáil leader Pearse Doherty TD has said that there is no reason to withhold the number of people waiting to be tested for Covid-19, as well as the number of people waiting for test results

He has written to the Taoiseach today highlighting that these numbers are in the public interest and that the Chief Executive of the HSE said yesterday that he had no interest in not declaring the numbers.

He said:

“There are many people – including health workers – who are waiting approximately two weeks for Covid-19 tests and for test results, and this is causing much concern at an already difficult time.

“Everybody knows that there is a significant backlog. That is to be expected, but there is a need to be honest about the extent of the situation because testing is such a crucial part of trying to combat this virus.

“That is why I have written to the Taoiseach today asking for the number of people waiting to be tested and the number of people waiting to have test results processed to be disclosed.

“In the course of a conference call yesterday, the Chief Executive of the HSE told me that he had no interest in not declaring the numbers, so there is no reason for these to be withheld.”