Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
2062. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health when the legal mechanism allowing for mandatory hotel quarantine is due to expire; the issues that will be considered when it expires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19708/21]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 amended the Health Act 1947 to provide for a system of mandatory quarantine at designated facilities.
This system of mandatory quarantine was established as a proportionate and carefully balanced public health measure, in order to address the risk posed by travel from states where there is known to be sustained human transmission of Covid-19 or any variant of concern, or from which there is a high risk of importation of infection or contamination with Covid-19 or any variant of concern. It is a temporary public health measure which is necessary to protect the public, our health system and our vaccination programme.
The Act is available online at the following link: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2021/act/1/enacted/en/html
Section 9 of the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 sets out detail on the commencement and operation of the Act’s provisions dealing with mandatory quarantine. It provides that the relevant provisions may apply for the period of 3 months commencing on the day following the passing of the Act, subject to the possibility of extension by resolution passed by each House of the Oireachtas. Any such extension or extensions may not exceed a period of 3 months.
As such, the period of operation of the provisions of the Act dealing with mandatory quarantine will come to an end on 7 June 2021, unless resolutions are passed by each House of the Oireachtas prior to that date to extend its operation.
