Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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1661. To ask the Minister for Health the status of birthing partners and their access to prenatal appointments as well as the birth of the child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18588/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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1662. To ask the Minister for Health if he has considered extending exemptions for mandatory hotel quarantine to those who are receiving medical care abroad due to terminal illness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18591/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act.

At present, persons returning to Ireland from or transitioning through high risk countries after receiving medical treatment abroad are not exempt from the requirement to enter the mandatory hotel quarantine.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice. In this context, regulations have been introduced to allow fully vaccinated persons arriving from designated states to be exempt from Mandatory Hotel Quarantine. However, this only applies to persons who are fully vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine and there will still be a requirement for them to quarantine at home following arrival into the State.