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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021

Wednesday, 24 March 2021

Questions (96)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

96. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he has engaged with his counterpart in the UK and-or their officials in view of their decision on travel to and-or from Portugal regarding the procedure and protocols for travel here in view of the fact that London and Lisbon are destinations that are flight transfer hubs to other world destinations and given Ireland's relationship with the UK. [15510/21]

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Written answers

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. 

It is a mandatory requirement for passengers arriving in Ireland, including if they are travelling onwards to Northern Ireland, to complete a Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form. The form must also be filled out by those who arrive via Northern Ireland and have been overseas in the 14 days prior to arrival in Ireland.

Since 4 February 2021, a 14-day quarantine period must be undertaken at the address specified on the Passenger Locator Form. Persons who travel from another country to Ireland, and arrive via Northern Ireland, must also observe the mandatory quarantine regime.

It is expect that the mandatory hotel quarantine facility will be operational imminently. Once it is in place, mandatory quarantine at a designated facility will be required for passengers who have been in the designated 'high risk' countries in the 14 days prior to their arrival in Ireland.

There are ongoing discussions between the UK and Ireland on COVID-19 and travel. These discussions involve several Government Departments and have taken place at official and political level.

At present, both Great Britain and Portugal are not on the 'High Risk' list and as such, arrivals from these countries, whose journeys did not start in a 'high risk' state, may release themselves early from quarantine if they receive a negative test result at least 5-days post-arrival into Ireland.

However, all arrivals from Great Britain and Portugal (unless exempted) must quarantine at home in the intervening period between their arrival into the country and the second test (if the person chooses to take a second test).  The list of 'high risk' states is kept under regular review and more countries may be added if conditions in these countries deteriorate.

A National Oversight Group for Variants of Concern has been established to monitor and advise upon the challenges posed by variants of concern of COVID-19.

The group provides advice to the Chief Medical Officer, who in turn advises on countries to be specified as high risk, for example, for variants of concern of COVID-19. The Minister for Health is responsible for the specification of these countries, in consultation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs or other Ministers of Government as appropriate.

Irish authorities are in daily communication with UK counterparts to advise of transiting traffic so that the appropriate public health measures are put in place on arrival, including for UK nationals and residents.

Government continues to keep all public health measures related to international travel under review.

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