Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1519. To ask the Minister for Health if travelling to visit a spouse in another country is considered essential travel and exempt from possible Garda fines. [14532/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government continues to advise against all non-essential travel at the current time. SI No 29/2021 provides a non-exhaustive list of reasonable excuses for travel to an airport or port for purpose of leaving the State. These reasons include.

- To work, comply with a contract of employment or contract for services, or otherwise engage in work or employment

- To provide services to, or perform the functions of, an office holder appointed under any enactment or under the Constitution, or a member of either House of the Oireachtas, the European Parliament or a local authority

- To provide services essential to the functioning of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the State

- To attend, for educational reasons a primary or secondary school, or a university, higher education institution or other education and training facility, to the extent that it is necessary for such educational reasons to attend in person

- To accompany any other person residing with the person, or a vulnerable person, to one of the education facilities mentioned above

- To attend a medical or dental appointment, or accompany, to such an appointment, any other person residing with the person, or a vulnerable person

- To seek essential medical, health or dental assistance for the person, for any other person residing with the person, or for a vulnerable person

- To attend to vital family matters (including providing care to vulnerable persons)

- To attend a funeral

- To fulfil a legal obligation (including attending court, satisfying bail conditions, or participating in ongoing legal proceedings), attend a court office where required, initiate emergency legal proceedings or execute essential legal documents

- if the person is a parent or guardian of a child, or a person having a right of access to a child, to give effect to arrangements for access to the child by the person, or another person who is - (i) a parent or guardian of the child, or (ii) a person having a right of access to the child where the person is not ordinarily resident in the State, to leave the State.

Travellers arriving back into Ireland are from overseas are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form, to present evidence of a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival and to observe mandatory quarantine.