Mr. Muiris O'Connor:

I thank the joint committee for this opportunity to speak on the new travel restrictions that require travellers to undergo pre-departure tests for travel to Ireland. I am assistant secretary in the Department of Health and am joined by my colleague Mr. Keith Comiskey, who leads on Covid travel policy for our Department.

The Department of Health has been central in the wider and ongoing national response to Covid-19 and in managing the risk of importation of variants of concern throughout the pandemic. The Department and the Government have responded to both improving and disimproving epidemiological situations, as appropriate, to support international travel to the greatest extent possible while ensuring the protection of public health is paramount.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, the Minister for Health has introduced regulations to support the public health response with respect to international travel. These statutory instruments cover the requirements for travel to Ireland during the pandemic, the passenger locator form and the EU digital Covid certificates, mentioned by Mr. Towey, which remain key tools for our pandemic response.

These regulatory changes are undertaken in consultation with six other Ministers, namely, the Minister for Transport, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Minister for Justice, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Together this cross-ministerial approach ensures the appropriate response across various sectors of society and the economy, in so far as possible, while protecting people against severe illness or death.

This effort seeks to limit and delay the importation of Covid and its variants, understanding that we are part of an increasingly interdependent global community. In particular, it aims to delay importation of concerning variants such as Omicron while non-pharmaceutical interventions are strengthened and until further evidence emerges relating to its transmissibility and the impact it has on disease severity. Not enough is currently known about the Omicron variant and the World Health Organization has designated it as a variant of concern.

To protect Ireland’s healthcare system and economy we urgently and proactively responded in recent times to the emergence of this new Covid-19 variant. New requirements were urgently put in place for travel from several specified countries where the Omicron variant was circulating in the community. Since 29 November, any person who has been in a scheduled state in the previous 14 days is not permitted to travel to Ireland, except under certain exemptions. Those who do travel are required to have pre-departure testing, to home quarantine on arrival, and to undergo post-arrival testing. There are very limited exemptions to these requirements.

The scheduling of these specific countries was made in line with the EU emergency brake mechanism to ensure a consistent EU approach to public health in this instance. As information on the new Omicron variant is currently limited, additional protection measures were considered prudent to protect the reopening of the Irish economy and society.

On 30 November, the Government decided that all travellers into Ireland should be required to present a negative test result, regardless of immunity status. All travellers to Ireland from overseas are now required to show a relevant test result, either a PCR or antigen test result, upon arrival to Ireland, unless specifically exempted by regulation. Travellers with proof of immunity have the option of taking a PCR or a rapid antigen test, and those without proof of immunity are required to take a PCR test. These new measures are intended to be temporary and will be kept under constant review.

It was initially envisaged to have this measure operational by 3 December. However, given the significant change of this requirement for passengers and for carriers, it was decided to extend the implementation of this requirement by two days to Sunday, 5 December. These measures are being introduced as part of a whole-of-government Covid response. As more information becomes available about the effects of the Omicron variant, we will continue to adapt. The Department of Health will continue to work across government on the ongoing national response to Covid-19 and to manage the risk of importation of variants of concern.