Fianna Fáil Question If Govt Will Introduce Ebola Screening

The Minister for Health has been urged to state whether he has made contact with UK authorities to discuss Ebola screenings being carried out at major British entry points.

Fianna Fáil Health spokesperson Billy Kelleher has said he wants to know if Mr Varadkar is considering introducing similar procedures in Ireland.

"The rapid rise in Ebola related deaths is sounding alarm bells around the world, but authorities appear to be failing to act to combat the spread of the virus. We’ve now seen deaths in Spain and Germany, bringing the threat of an outbreak even closer to home," Deputy Kelleher said.

Adding: "The warning from the head of the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response Anthony Banbury that the disease is "winning the race" is extremely worrying and highlights the need for a comprehensive response plan here in Ireland. The UK has begun to implement a screening process at major London airports, but we need clarity on whether similar procedures are being considered for Ireland. A number of European airports operate routes into West Africa, many of which have connecting flights to Irish airports, and it is imperative that passengers arriving into one airport and transferring to another are subject to screening.

"Have the authorities here been in contact with their UK and European counterparts to ensure that the risk of the virus arriving in Ireland is minimised and managed? Last week, the Health Minster claimed the risk of the deadly disease coming to Ireland was low, but he failed to outline any of the contingency measures that are in place to deal with the threat, choosing instead to accuse health sector unions of using the Ebola crisis to highlight resource issues.

"Our Government does not appear to be affording this potentially deadly health emergency the attention and planning it requires. People are now genuinely concerned about the risks posed by the rising infection and death rates. The fact that there have been deaths in Europe adds to the urgency of the situation. Ministers cannot afford to sit back and do nothing as the crisis comes ever closer to our shores"

(MH/CD)