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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Questions (1783, 1821, 1855, 2029, 2214)

Robert Troy

Question:

1783. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if essential workers such as a petroleum engineer based in Bashara, Iraq, will have to quarantine every time on arrival here. [18965/21]

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Thomas Gould

Question:

1821. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter in relation to mandatory hotel quarantine (details supplied) [19057/21]

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Robert Troy

Question:

1855. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health if essential workers who are working abroad, specifically petroleum engineers who work for periods of the year on oil rigs in listed countries, are required to hotel quarantine on their return. [19157/21]

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Paul Kehoe

Question:

2029. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Health if it is possible to conduct the mandatory hotel quarantine in an alternative hotel (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19628/21]

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Kathleen Funchion

Question:

2214. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if an Irish chief engineer helicopter operator working in Lagos, Nigeria, is considered an essential worker and exempt from the hotel quarantine system. [20142/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1783, 1821, 1855, 2029 and 2214 together.

Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of COVID-19 variants of concern.

The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act. All applicable travellers must reserve and pay for a place in mandatory hotel quarantine.

The Act provides for a number of exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine;

- Arriving into the State in the course of duty and who hold a valid Annex 3 certificate (ensuring the availability of goods and essential services)

- Arriving in the State in the course of duty and are drivers of a heavy goods vehicle

- Airline pilots, aircrew, maritime master or maritime crew and who arrive in the State in the course of performing duties.

- Travelling to the State pursuant to an arrest warrant, extradition proceedings or other mandatory legal obligation.

- A member of An Garda Síochána or Defence Forces (or their equivalents from another state) and travelling to the State in course of duty.

- Travelling to the State for unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive medical reasons and these reasons are certified by a registered medical practitioner or person with equivalent qualifications outside the State.

- Having been outside of the state to provide services to or perform the functions of an office holder (under any enactment or the Constitution) or a member of either house of the Oireachtas or the European Parliament.

- Diplomats and certain other categories of persons entitled to privileges and immunities in the State.

The provisions of the Act allows for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun. The State Liaison Officer (Irish Defence Forces) in the designated facility can provide further information on how to apply.

Quarantine of persons arriving from areas with a high incidence of variants of concern is considered a deterrent against the emergence of such variants in the state and as such all persons arriving from a designated states are required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine unless otherwise exempt.

The designation of states will be subject to ongoing review in line with the provisions of the Act.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice, including the possibility of future exemptions, such as for certain categories of essential workers. Public health will remain a paramount consideration.

As of 17th April, travellers who are fully vaccinated with an EMA approved vaccine and have documents to prove vaccination are exempt. Fully vaccinated travellers are still required to have a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form. Further information can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.

Neither I as Minister for Health nor my Department have any role in decisions relating to whether individual persons must enter mandatory quarantine or whether individual persons are exempted travellers. All such decisions are to be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

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