Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
810. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the provision that has been made for EU Digital COVID Certificates for Irish citizens who have been vaccinated in Canada and the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39207/21]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that my Department continues to work closely with the Department of An Taoiseach, the Department of Health and the HSE, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Government Information Services, and the Department of Transport in relation to the EU Digital COVID Certificate. As the Deputy will appreciate, specific questions around issuance of EU Digital COVID Certificates to individual citizens are a matter for other Departments as appropriate.
I can advise that the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) is proof (in digital or paper format) that an individual has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has received a negative COVID-19 test result or has recovered from COVID-19 in the last 6 months. The DCC will help individuals travel safely and more easily within the EU/EEA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DCC is valid in all EU Member States, including Ireland, and provided by the Member State within which the vaccination, COVID-19 test, or recovery took place. Each individual Member State decides on how to use the DCC as part of their own national public health measures and the information in relation to individual countries is available on reopen.europa.eu.
The EU Regulation gives the option to issue vaccination certificates to persons vaccinated elsewhere, with EMA approved vaccines, upon receipt of appropriate proof. The main development focus, at the moment, is on the delivery of the obligations of the EU Regulation with respect of persons who received a vaccination or a test in Ireland. Arrangements for provision of vaccination certificates to persons not vaccinated in Ireland will be actively considered once the initial roll-out is in place.
With regard to passengers arriving from outside the EU, Ireland is in broad alignment with the EU approach to non-essential travel from Third Countries. Any quarantine requirements, where applicable, will depend on the specific country of origin and the public health situation in that jurisdiction. Information on travel to Ireland from outside the EU is available at:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/77952-government-advice-on-international-travel/#passengers-arriving-into-ireland-from-outside-eu-iceland-lichtenstein-norway-switzerland
