Diagnostics

• Evaluated rapid molecular and antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
• Evaluated rapid antibody tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibodies, enabling monitoring of vaccine efficacy.
• Developed saliva- and aerosol-based tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
• Supported the Health Service Executive (HSE) COVID-19 Laboratory R&D Product Solutions Group by evaluating novel diagnostics.
• Provided critical test reagents and equipment to HSE laboratories during supply chain disruptions.
• Trained a large cohort of laboratory technicians to perform PCR diagnostics for SARSCoV-2.
• Built digital infrastructure to support symptom screening and enhance diagnostic capabilities.

SARS-CoV-2 surveillance

• Established the Irish Coronavirus Sequencing Consortium to identify and track variants of SARS-CoV-2.
• Established national and local wastewater testing platforms to detect community levels of SARS-CoV-2.
• Established a national platform for COVID-19 detection, testing and support across universities, enabling safe return to campus for students and staff.
• Established a COVID-19 detection and monitoring platform in meat processing plants to track outbreaks and identify key risk factors.
• Established national contact tracing infrastructure, including setting up call centres, designing protocols and conducting contact tracing activities.

Advisory roles and public communications

• Liaised with the Minister and Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) on university COVID-19 surveillance.
• Provided expert advice to the Department of Health’s National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) for COVID-19.
• Provided scientific briefings for the Minister and Department of Health.
• Provided research and diagnostic advice to the medical community and professional bodies.
• Engaged with national and local media (radio, television, print and social media) to communicate scientific insights and public health guidance.

The Society is well placed to support the COVID-19 Evaluation panel in engaging with the microbiology
community in Ireland. Since its founding, the Society has always represented microbiologists in
Ireland. It has an active Irish Division, which brings together the microbiology community from across
the island of Ireland. As of June 2025, it has more than 250 members in the Republic of Ireland, based
in universities, industry, hospitals, research institutes, government and other organisations. Most recently, the Society engaged with its community of microbiologists in Ireland to inform the
development of Ireland’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (iNAP3). Input was
gathered through a survey and two in-person workshops held in Ireland, representing over 150
microbiologists in Ireland. The insights gathered were compiled into a comprehensive report
Harnessing the Irish microbiology community to tackle AMR, which has been submitted to Irish
policymakers.

The Society wishes to extend a strong message of support to the COVID-19 Evaluation Panel in its aim
to take forward lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a conduit for the vast wealth of
expertise within the microbiology community that we represent, the Microbiology Society would
welcome the opportunity to assist the Panel by brokering a relationship with the collective
microbiology community of Ireland. We have no fixed view of the format that such input might take
but if the Evaluation Panel would find a submission from the Society as a collective voice of the
microbiology community in Ireland or if the Panel was interested in meeting Irish microbiologists as a
group, we would be delighted to help.

Should the Evaluation Panel wish to explore this further, please do not hesitate to contact us at
policy@microbiologysociety.org.

Sincerely,
Dr Peter Cotgreave
Chief Executive