A pop-up COVID-19 test centre is to be set up by the HSE in Killarney tomorrow.
Minister for Education Norma Foley says that people who are waiting longest for a PCR test will be offered appointments to attend.
It's understood that the venue will be St Mary's Parish Hall but this has to be confirmed by the HSE.
Minister Foley says that she has been informed by the chief officer of Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, Michael Fitzgerald, that the decision had been made due to the extraordinary and unprecedented demand for this service experienced over the past week or so.
Mr Fitzgerald said that the demand far outstripped the capacity of the test centre in Tralee which is usually in a position to offer swabbing service within 24 hrs of demand.
He said that with the huge efforts of staff and the deployment of antigen testing to those under 40 in certain circumstances, the waiting list is reducing significantly daily.
As a result, the health service hopes to return to a "more timely" offer of service over the coming days.
The Killarney pop-up centre is to help the local service in Kerry to do this.
