Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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575. To ask the Minister for Health if a fully vaccinated person who has the required PCR test 72 hours before arriving from the USA into Ireland and locator form whether they do or do not have to do the mandatory five day quarantine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34019/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the current public health travel measures, as provided in S.I. No 45/2021 and S.I. 135 /2021, travellers arriving to Ireland from all overseas jurisdictions (including the USA) are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form and to present evidence of a negative / non-detected pre-departure RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. 

Those who have not been to a designated state within 14 days of arrival are also required to quarantine at home for 14 days. The quarantine period can end once the traveller obtains a negative result from a PCR test taken no less than 5 days after arrival. 

International travel policy is kept under continuous consideration and Government is responding proactively to balancing the risks associated with increased travel with the re-opening of society and non-essential overseas travel. 

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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576. To ask the Minister for Health if the State is adhering to COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2020/1475 of 13 October 2020 and amended on 28 January 2021 and 14 June 2021 on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. [34101/21]

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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577. To ask the Minister for Health the reason arrivals at Irish airports from areas marked Green on the ECDC Map published in support of the Council Recommendation on a coordinated approach to the restriction of free movement in response to the Covid-19 pandemic are subject to restrictions, defined in paragraph 17(2) in COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2020/1475 as a test for Covid-19 infection prior to and or after arrival in the form of a PCR test both before and after arrival in the State. [34100/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 576and 577 together.

The Government has applied more stringent measures applying to international travel in order to mitigate against the risk of new variants being imported through travel and to protect the progress we are making in suppressing transmission domestically. The Government continues to advise against non-essential international travel.

At present, travellers arriving to Ireland are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form and to have evidence of a negative pre-departure PCR test. Travellers  who have not been in a designated state within 14 days of arrival are also required to home quarantine.  

These travel measures are kept under continuous review based on public health advice and the international epidemiological situation. The Government has announced revised travel policies to take effect from 19 July in keeping with the EU Digital Covid Certificate. Work to give effect to these measures is progressing on a cross-departmental basis.