Council to repair test centre entrance

HSE signed a deal with Scouting Ireland in May last year to use the International Scouting Centre for testing purposes.

Cavan County Council says it is “aware of issues” regarding the road surface at the main entrance to Castle Saunderson where the HSE is currently operating their Covid test centre fo the county, and it has “already commenced” repair work at the site.

Locals and test centre attendees had complained about the condition of the site entrance, with representations then made by local elected officials to the council directly seeking their intervention.

The issues concerning the deterioration of the road entrance were exacerbated in the run up to Christmas and over the festive and New Year holiday periods when the Cavan Covid Testing centre was reportedly operating at “maximum capacity” with up to 450 attendees per day.

Since Christmas, December 25, 2021, up to Monday last, January 10, 2022, a total of 5,664 tests were carried out at the Cavan CTC.

“Cavan County Council is aware of issues regarding the road surface at the main entrance to Castle Saunderson and has already commenced repair work at the site,” said a spokesperson for the council.

Site Agreement

The HSE signed a deal with Scouting Ireland in May last year to use the International Scouting Centre for testing purposes.

At the same time they agreed right-of-way access with the national forestry agency and the local authority.

The 'Right of Way' does entail certain conditions, including that the HSE must maintain the internal road, manage safety on site through regular inspections, provide traffic management and indemnify Coillte. A one-way system for test traffic is in place, with a short section of roadway, approximately 500 metres from the entrance, open to two way traffic.

Extensive ground works have taken place within the Castle Saunderson site, paid for by the HSE. This including the widening of internal roads, tarmacking, and the mapping of a new specified walkway throughout for pedestrians.

However, the entrance to the site itself falls under the remit of Cavan County Council.

The agreement for Covid testing to take place at the International Scout Centre was for an initial 12 months, with the HSE stating its intention to use the facility for the remainder or COVID-19 national testing programme, or as advised by government directive.

Its understood that an agreement to extend contract for use of the scouting facility has been secured.

Previously, and in the early phases of the pandemic, testing was carried out at the Ballinagh Health Centre.

Testing

As of Monday last, January 10, in the previous seven days, 306,253 tests were completed nationally with a positivity rate nationally of more than one in two (51.8%).

Positivity rates in the North East are similar to the national rate.

Over 9,000 cases were reported across the North east region last week (Sunday to Saturday, January 2-8) with 1094 new confirmed Covid cases in Cavan, and 998 cases reported in Monaghan.

A spokesperson says that case numbers are increasing in all age groups, but most notably in the 19 – 49 year age bracket.

Advice

Director of Public Health North East, Dr Augustine Pereira, acknowledged the work and commitment of Vaccination teams in Cavan and Monaghan and the great community turn out at the centres to date.

“This is how we can protect the most vulnerable, keep society open, follow all public health advice and lessen pressure on our strained health care systems.”

Dr Pereira advised that a person with symptoms who “does not isolate” risks being the source of a potentially serious outbreak in a household, workplace, or community.

“So please isolate if you have symptoms. It is vaccination and community vigilance that will drive down transmission.”