Written answers

Tuesday, 21 July 2020

Department of An Taoiseach

Covid-19 Pandemic

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Taoiseach if Bermuda will be included on the green list of countries for approved and simplified travel arrangements in view of the significant containment of the disease on the island, the number of Irish citizens working in professional services there and their confinement for the past number of months. [16575/20]

Photo of Paul McAuliffePaul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Taoiseach his plans to limit travel here from countries with a high rate of Covid-19 transmission. [16597/20]

Photo of James O'ConnorJames O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Taoiseach his views on a temporary domestic ban on passengers from the United States of America to ensure adherence to Covid-19 prevention measures. [16645/20]

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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45. To ask the Taoiseach his plans to place further restrictions on tourists travelling here from regions with a high incidence of Covid-19. [17191/20]

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Taoiseach if stricter quarantine measures or further restrictions on flights from areas with high infection rates of Covid-19 are being considered (details supplied). [17051/20]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The current public health advice is to avoid non-essential overseas travel and to holiday at home this summer.

Coronavirus is still spreading around the world. Many countries are seeing the number of infections increase again. In Ireland, the NPHET recently emphasised its growing concern regarding the following:-

· The increase in case numbers of this disease currently being reported in the community and a number of large clusters that have emerged in recent weeks;

· The R number is likely now to have exceeded 1, with the best estimate in the range of 1.2 and 1.8;

· The deteriorating international epidemiological situation and international experience which shows that effectiveness of disease suppression following the easing of public health measures by countries is precarious;

· The risk of imported cases due to the current ongoing increase in overseas travel.

A list of countries that are safer to travel to is under consideration by Government. Government agreed an approach to how the list would be determined broadly based on the epidemiology of the virus in that country. Further information will be available after Government has considered the matter [this evening].

The current advice is that anyone travelling to Ireland should restrict their movements for 14 days, on entering the country. This includes: Irish citizens coming home; people with no symptoms; and people who have tested negative for the virus in another country. This means staying at home and avoiding contact with other people and social situations as much as possible. You should not use public transport, visit others, meet face-to-face with anyone who is at higher risk from coronavirus or go to the shop unless absolutely necessary (wearing a face covering if you do).

By law, anyone arriving in Ireland from any country will need to fill in a form called the COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form. The Form will be used to facilitate a system of follow up checks to make sure people who travel to the country are staying where they said that they would. The Form will also ensure more accurate and expeditious contact tracing, should there be a suspected or confirmed case on a flight or ferry coming into Ireland.

Regarding restrictions on persons coming into the country, there are no proposals to implement a blanket ban on travel. We need to keep airports and travel routes open. Ireland depends on ports and airports for supply chains and connectivity bringing food, medicines and other products to Ireland which are critical to our health and for economic activity. Furthermore, some people need to travel for essential reasons. This includes: for essential work; to care for family members abroad; or to return home.

However, work is underway on a number of further travel related initiatives to reinforce public health measures, including:

· There is to be an increased presence of staff at ports and airports to make incoming passengers aware of their obligations including restriction of movement for 14 days.

· Work is under way to move the passenger locator form online

· Sectoral Protocols and Procedures

Further measures remain under consideration.

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