Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Senator Rebecca Moynihan has raised an issue with me which I want to raise with the Taoiseach in respect of the impact of new travel rules on women who are travelling to the UK for terminations. It is not clear if those travelling for essential medical treatment not available here are required to have a PCR or antigen test when returning home. Guidance is needed on that. It adds a layer of stress to women. Second, the Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021 for mandatory hotel quarantine was published yesterday. The original legislation exempted those returning into the State from medical treatment. It said a person is an exempted traveller if they are returning to the State having travelled to a State for an unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive medical reason. The new legislation is different from the old version. Given that this has changed, which has caused concern for a number of women who will be left in the situation, I call on the Taoiseach to ask his Minister to change the wording to what it was previously. The new wording will cause concern to a number of people.

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