News
Kerry Airport COVID tests now available at Bon Secours Hospital
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.
Ross Castle canal silt removal
Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry, Michael Cahill TD, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will return to Ross Castle Canal to address the remaining silt once conditions allow.
Deputy Cahill raised the matter directly with the Minister following concerns from local boatmen regarding the significant amount of silt that had been left banked along the edge of the canal after maintenance works. They warned that, if left in place, the silt could simply be washed back into the canal during periods of heavy rainfall undoing the benefits of the recent clearance works.
In response to Deputy Cahill’s Parliamentary Question, the Minister confirmed that the NPWS had already cleared an entrance and exit route at the site when suitable weather and ground conditions allowed the work to proceed. Importantly, the Minister also confirmed that the NPWS will revisit the issue once lake levels reduce and conditions are suitable to facilitate safe access.
He said:
“I raised this issue after being contacted by local boatmen who were concerned that the silt left on the banks of the canal would inevitably be washed back into the watercourse following heavy rainfall. They made the valid point that the material had now been left long enough for aquatic wildlife to return, meaning its removal could proceed without causing unnecessary environmental disturbance.”
“I am pleased to receive confirmation that the NPWS intends to return to the site to complete the work when lake levels fall and conditions are suitable. This is a practical and sensible commitment which recognises both the environmental importance of the area and the need to maintain navigable access.”
Deputy Cahill said Ross Castle Canal is an important amenity and tourism asset within Killarney National Park and that it is essential it is properly maintained for the benefit of visitors, local businesses and the traditional boatmen who use it throughout the year.
“I will continue to engage with the NPWS to ensure these works are completed at the earliest suitable opportunity. Maintaining the canal is important not only for navigation but also for preserving one of Kerry’s most iconic tourism attractions and ensuring it remains accessible for everyone who enjoys Killarney National Park,” Deputy Cahill concluded.
Free entry for under 18s at Ross Castle
Young people and families can explore Ross Castle free of charge throughout August as part of a national Office of Public Works (OPW) initiative.
The 15th-century stronghold on the shores of Lough Leane will waive admission fees for all visitors under 18 from August 1 to August 31. The scheme aims to make cultural and historic sites more accessible to young people and families during the summer holidays.
Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. The promotion applies across fee-paying OPW heritage sites nationwide, excluding Kilmainham Gaol and Brú na Bóinne.
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin “Boxer” Moran, said the initiative offers young people a memorable way to connect with history, nature, and culture over the summer break.
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