Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the discussions and or meetings he had with the airline industry with regard to the development of a green list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18566/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 21 July, the Government agreed a list of fifteen locations for which the advice against non-essential  travel no longer applies. The travel advice for those locations now is to 'take normal precautions,' which is represented by a green bar under the system of country security ratings used by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The fifteen locations are: Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Monaco, San Marino and Slovakia.

I have had no meetings with representatives of the industry with regard to the development of the list.

The criteria for inclusion on the list are based on the current epidemiological situation in each location and related public health information. The list and related travel advice will be reviewed on a fortnightly basis, based on advice from officials including public health experts. Any travel advice updates or changes will be made in line with Government decisions.

We are in the midst of a global pandemic, with more than 16 million people infected. The situation is developing rapidly and the government's message is clear that the safest option is to stay in Ireland.