Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have been contacted by numerous people from Tipperary who are among the 12,000 Irish people currently working in and residing in the United Arab Emirates, UAE. They cannot travel directly home this summer to visit family without undergoing mandatory hotel quarantine. They faced significant local pressure to take the Sinopharm vaccine in order to stay in employment. They have received both doses and they are fully vaccinated. Sinopharm is now recognised by the World Health Organization, WHO, but it is does not meet the regulations in Ireland that allow a person to quarantine in a person's own home. They cannot avail of the Pfizer vaccine as they have already been vaccinated. The Taoiseach might also be aware that the UAE has been very successful in combatting Covid. There are very tight restrictions in place and the Irish people in the UAE are tested every ten days. I ask that when these citizens return home, that they will be allowed on compassionate grounds to complete a home quarantine rather than the currently stipulated hotel quarantine.

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