Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
519. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health the protections in place for children who are required to quarantine under section 38B of the Health Act 1947 (as amended); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22666/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMandatory 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.
Unaccompanied minors who have travelled from or through a designated state in the 14 days prior to arrival in Ireland will not be permitted to enter a mandatory quarantine facility alone. To board a flight/ferry to Ireland, an unaccompanied minor must produce a negative RT-PCR test within the last 72 hours and their passport.
Their adult guardian can enter mandatory hotel quarantine with them, however, if this is not possible a responsible adult collecting the unaccompanied minor must sign a guardian release letter undertaking in writing the legal responsibility for ensuring that, the unaccompanied minor, will complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine at a specified address and that it is possible to effectively isolate at the said address.In instances where an unaccompanied minor is arriving in Ireland to attend boarding school, a school representative must present themselves to Irish Immigration authorities with proper identification and on arrival, they will fill in, sign and return the Guardian Release Letter to the Irish immigration official. It is a criminal offence to give misleading or fraudulent information to an Irish immigration official.
Arrangements are also in place with Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) to provide suitable accommodation for any unaccompanied child arriving from designated states who is required to complete their mandatory 14-day quarantine under Tusla's care.
As of 17th April, passengers who are fully vaccinated and have the documents to confirm this are no longer required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Dependents, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine in this instance. Please note that the 4 EMA approved vaccines currently accepted have specific definitions for when a person would be considered ‘fully vaccinated’. Passengers who are fully vaccinated and exempt from hotel quarantine are still subject to other travel restrictions, such as the need to provide a negative pre-departure PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form. Neither I as Minister for Health nor my Department have a 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.
Further information can be accessed on www.gov.ie/quarantine.
