Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021
36. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Transport the measures in place at ports including all known small ports and piers to monitor international travel and ensure that passengers coming here from overseas self-isolate for the recommended amount of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4964/21]
View answerThe extent to which the public, including arriving passengers, are advised to self-isolate, restrict their movements, adhere to other public health measures or undertake Covid-19 testing, is based on the advice of the public health authorities. My Department assists with the implementation of public health measures in relation to international travel, as decided by Government following relevant advice.
As you know, the Government continues to advise against non-essential international travel and that any essential travel is undertaken with due regard to public health safety measures.
With effect from 16 January 2021, all passengers arriving into Ireland (unless exempt) are required to have evidence of a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a pre-departure Covid-19 RT-PCR test that was carried out no more than 72 hours prior to arrival in Ireland. Passengers are asked to present evidence of their negative/‘not detected’ result before boarding their ferry or aircraft and will be denied boarding if they cannot produce such evidence or do not claim to fall into an exempt category. Exemptions from the requirement to undergo a pre-departure test include international transport workers such as hauliers, airline and maritime crew. Children aged 6 and under are also exempt from this requirement.
Passengers who arrive into an Irish port or airport without the required evidence, and who are not in an exempt category, commit an offence and may be subject to prosecution, punishable by a fine not exceeding €2,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both. Enforcement of the Regulations are a matter for the Garda National Immigration Bureau, who undertake checks on arriving passengers at Irish ports to ensure they are in compliance with the Regulations. In relation to harbours and piers, it is a matter for the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with health guidance and requirements.
I am sure you are also aware that my colleague, the Minister for Health, introduced a passenger locator form last year, which every passenger arriving to Ireland is legally required to complete, and has put a system in place whereby follow up calls and texts are made to passengers who arrive in Ireland to ensure they are residing at the address they have provided. It is an offence to provide false or misleading information on a passenger locator form.
The Government is keeping all measures relating to international travel under review in order to adapt them to the evolving Covid-19 situation.
