Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 February 2021
914. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health if a person can travel to Ireland from the United States of America to reunite with their partner during level 5 restrictions once the person obeys the requirement for OCR test and guaranteeing; if the advice is that such a journey is non-essential; if so, if it carries a potential fine or legal enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8761/21]
View answerUnder the current travel measures, passengers arriving from overseas, including via Northern Ireland, are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form and to have evidence of a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel upon arrival. Passengers who arrive to the State at a port of airport, must show their test result prior to boarding plane or ferry and once again to border official upon arrival. Those that do not present a test result are committing an offence and may be subject to prosecution. Any travellers arriving without a pre-travel PCR test result must complete one within 36 hours of arrival or will be committing an additional offence.
Arriving passengers, with a limited list of exemptions, are required to quarantine for 14 days at the address given on their Passenger Locator Form. A second ‘non-detected’ PCR test result taken no less than 5 days after arrival can end the quarantine period.
The current list of ‘Category 2 countries’ now includes 20 states and those who arrive from these countries are subject to stricter quarantine requirements. Arrivals from these countries do not have the option to end quarantine early.
Persons who do not adhere to the mandatory quarantine requirements are committing an offence and can be fined up to €2,500 or get a prison sentence of up to 6 months
During the period of stay in the State all persons are expected to adhere to the Level 5 public health restrictions that are in place.
