Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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48. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if travel advice will be updated in line with the European Centre of Disease Control updated travel advice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42400/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government decision of October 2020 has delivered on the commitment in the Plan for Living with Covid-19 in adopting the EU “traffic light” approach to international travel, details of which are published on Gov.ie. Ireland has previously incorporated the guidance in the EASA/ECDC Aviation Health Safety Protocol within the protocols for passenger travel by air and sea in light of Covid-19, published in July 2020 by the Department of Transport, and updated in October 2020.  

On the 2 December the European Centre for Disease Control and European Aviation Safety Agency jointly published Guidelines for COVID-19 testing and quarantine of air travellers – an Addendum to the Aviation Health Safety Protocol. The Addendum provides information to assist the health authorities to make informed decisions on the best possible measures for international travel.

Subject to ongoing review by the HSE, NEPHT and Government a negative result from a Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is the only test result that means the passenger is not expected to follow advice to restrict movements. While agreed Covid-19 measures are kept under review, and in the lead up to a challenging Christmas season for all, there are currently no plans to make changes to the current implementation framework around the “traffic light” system.