Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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442. To ask the Minister for Health when he will consider phasing out mandatory hotel quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25326/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Mandatory hotel quarantine has been introduced as one element of Ireland’s public health measures to combat the transmission of Covid-19 variants of concern.

The mandatory quarantine system is under regular review by all facilitating stakeholders to ensure that it continues to serve its purpose in preventing the emergence of variants of concern in the state.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice. It is on this basis that steps to end the mandatory quarantine system will be considered, when appropriate and in when line with wider policy on international travel restrictions.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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443. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to lift Covid-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated persons travelling from critical tourism and business markets such as the United States of America; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25328/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As of 17 April, passengers who are fully vaccinated and have the documents to confirm this, are no longer required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Dependents, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine in this instance. Please note that the four European Medicines Agency approved vaccines currently accepted have specific definitions for when a person would be considered fully vaccinated.

These definitions are available at:

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice.