Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I hope members can hear me. I am at the Convention Centre Dublin. I thank Mr. Bassato for attending our committee. I have been listening with interest to everything he has had to say and there are some similarities in some ways in the testing regimes. There is a big difference, however, in how a passenger arriving in Italy is treated. There is no mandatory quarantine and passengers are subject to an antigen test as opposed to our PCR test in the days after they arrive. That paves the way for people to enter the country and spend time there. Essentially, it allows tourism to happen, in theory, over the next few months. It is where we must get to with Ireland. There was a place for mandatory hotel quarantine when we had 8,000 or so cases per day but I am thankful we are well and truly beyond that. The policy must reflect this.

US President Joe Biden signed a proclamation some months ago, proclamation 10143, and people from Italy and Ireland are, unfortunately, not allowed into America unless travel is necessary or the traveller has a current visa or is a US citizen. I presume that presents a challenge for people bound for the US from Italy. Mr. Bassato suggested the only passengers arriving into Italy from the US are those travelling on an essential basis. I imagine there are some significant limitations on the number of people going on those flights, good and all as they are.