TESTING: Kerry Airport passengers can now get a COVID-19 test at the Bon Secours Hospital in Tralee without the need of a doctor's referral.

Kerry Airport Ireland and Bon Secours Hospital Tralee will provide COVID-19 tests for pre and post air travellers in and out of Kerry Airport this Christmas and into the New Year. The five-step online self-referral tests will be carried out at Bon Secours Hospital Tralee, not at Kerry Airport.

The test can be taken by outbound passengers a few days before they fly and inbound passengers a few days after they arrive in the county and once they have complied with any isolation regulations that are in place at that time. The test costs €80 – the lowest in the country.

The idea will overrule the need to get a doctor's referral before attending the drive-in clinic at the Tralee hospital.

“It’s beyond comprehension that it has become such a difficult decision, whether to travel home or not. This is something that our diaspora would not give a second thought about any other year. But this is not any year and, so far, the advice from those who know is ‘don’t travel’ because the risks associated with COVID transmission are too high,” the Chief Executive of Kerry Airport Ireland, John Mulhern, said. “Most will sacrifice the trip this time for the greater good, but for some there are people very special to them who live alone or have lost all their social outlets this year. Many are feeling depressed or at least a little sad and need company. These visits home are essential to their health and well-being and we must make them possible, but safe.”

There are currently two daily return flights between Kerry Airport and Dublin with Aer Lingus Regional while Ryanair are due to resume their services to London (Luton and Stansted) in mid-December.

Passengers who wish to undergo a COVID test can visit www.bonsecours.ie/bst_selfreferralform.

Once the referral form has been completed, the Laboratory Department at Bon Secours Hospital Tralee will confirm the appointment date and time via email.

The routine hours for the swabbing clinic are daily between 8.15am to 10am, Monday to Saturday,

The swabbing clinic is in the staff car park of the Bon Secours Hospital Tralee. The entrance to the clinic is via the Matt Talbot Road. This is a drive through clinic and you will be asked to remain in your car.

A payment of €80 for the test may be made online when making the referral or over the phone when the appointment is being confirmed.

FUNDING

Meanwhile, Kerry Airport is in line to get €1.5 million in funding as part of the annual Government funded Regional Airport's Programme.

The funding, which will go towards enhancing safety operations at the airport such as air traffic control, fire services and security, is an increase in the €200,000 awarded last year.

It is also in addition to the €1.17 granted in July for capital investment and the €6m COVID-19 operational support funding, announced last month and that will be shared with Donegal and Knock Airports.

“Kerry Airport is enormously important both to the infrastructure and economy of County Kerry and the Southwest. This funding, coupled with the financial supports provided in the budget in October and early November will go some way towards helping Kerry Airport remain financially sustainable as it plans for a time beyond COVID-19,” Kerry TD and Minister for Education Norma Foley said.