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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Ceisteanna (1581, 1727, 1804, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2010, 2099, 2190, 2235, 2303, 2309, 2314, 2316, 2388, 2408)

Neale Richmond

Ceist:

1581. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Health if people entering Ireland who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with a European Medical Agency approved vaccine will be exempted from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18333/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Réada Cronin

Ceist:

1727. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Health if fully vaccinated persons with clear tests will be exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18814/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

1804. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if a fully vaccinated person who travels into Ireland from abroad is subject to quarantine requirements; if an amendment of this requirement is being considered in the context of emerging evidence on the effect that vaccines have on transmissibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19028/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Marian Harkin

Ceist:

1986. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health the options available to a person (details supplied) to return here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19503/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Joe O'Brien

Ceist:

1989. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to allowing persons who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to be exempt from mandatory hotel-based quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19517/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

1990. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the position of persons in cases in which they have urgent family reasons to visit Ireland, for example, an extremely ill parent, are coming from a designated state, have been fully vaccinated and who have a negative PCR test prior to their departure; if such persons are required to undertake mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19521/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

1999. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners from other EU countries who have come to Ireland for work, received both Covid-19 vaccinations and have a negative PCR test are exempt from the two-week mandatory quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19539/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

2010. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Health if general practitioners from other EU countries who have come to Ireland for work, have received both the Covid-19 vaccinations and have a negative PCR test are exempt from the two-week mandatory quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19555/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

2099. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he will amend the Health (Amendment) Act 2021 in order to facilitate a return to Ireland by fully vaccinated hospital consultants and general practitioners training in Canada and allow them to take up medical positions here without having to undertake mandatory hotel quarantine; if he will consult the expert advisory group on travel in such cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19832/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mick Barry

Ceist:

2190. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if he will consider revising the regulations on the mandatory Covid-19 detention for persons who can demonstrate that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and have a negative PCR test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20084/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

Ceist:

2235. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Health if a period of isolation or quarantine will be required for fully vaccinated healthcare workers who return from visiting close family in other countries; if so, if the HSE and other healthcare employers will be asked to facilitate such workers in working from home for the quarantine period as is the practice for those required to restrict their movements and work from home due to being a close contact of an infected person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20230/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Joe Carey

Ceist:

2303. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Health if he will amend mandatory hotel quarantine policy to exempt persons who have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20523/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Marian Harkin

Ceist:

2309. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Health if a matter (details supplied) concerning the hotel quarantine will be clarified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20547/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mick Barry

Ceist:

2314. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Health if a person returning from essential surgery from a category 2 State who is fully vaccinated and can supply negative PCR tests on arrival will be obliged to undergo mandatory Covid-19 detention upon return to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20561/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

2316. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health if the mandatory hotel quarantine requirement will be lifted in respect of persons travelling from designated countries who are fully Covid-19 vaccinated and have negative tests both in respect of their departure from the foreign destination and arrival in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20567/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John McGuinness

Ceist:

2388. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if the rules on mandatory quarantine will be set aside for Irish citizens entering the country from one of the listed countries who have proof of being vaccinated, have a negative test and can isolate at home. [20667/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

2408. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Health if a person who has been fully vaccinated must quarantine; the reason a person who has been fully vaccinated would be expected to quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20739/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1581, 1727, 1804, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2010, 2099, 2190, 2235, 2303, 2309, 2314, 2316, 2388 and 2408 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 Health (Amendment) Act 2021 identifies those who are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine and a full list of exemptions can be accessed on gov.ie/quarantine.

The provisions of the Act also allow for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice. As of 17th April, travellers who are fully vaccinated and have documents to prove vaccination are exempt. However, this only applies to persons who are fully vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine and there will still be a requirement for them to quarantine at home following arrival into the State.

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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