Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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387. To ask the Minister for Health the current position in relation to persons travelling to Ireland who have been fully vaccinated with any of the WHO and EMA approved vaccines following the agreement by the European Union in relation to fully re-opening to vaccinated visitors from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28660/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Under the current public health travel measures, travellers arriving into Ireland from all overseas are required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form, to present evidence of a negative / non-detected pre-departure RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival and to observe mandatory quarantine.

The pre-departure PCR test result is currently required for all overseas arrivals, even vaccinated persons.

The Government has announced revised travel policies to take effect from 19 July in keeping with the EU Digital Covid Certificate. 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.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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388. To ask the Minister for Health the current position in relation to those travelling from Abu Dhabi who have received a vaccine (details supplied); if they will be exempted from MHQ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28661/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As of 17th 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 4 EMA approved vaccines currently accepted have specific definitions for when a person would be considered fully vaccinated.

The following table sets out the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’;

Fully vaccinated travellers are still required to have a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form.

Ireland supports the EU Procurement Process, the purpose of which is to secure safe and efficacious vaccines for EU citizens.

Covid 19 vaccines can only be approved and used if they comply with all the requirements of quality, safety and efficacy set out in the EU pharmaceutical legislation. No vaccine will be used until Market Authorisation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is obtained and any authorised vaccine will be subject to ongoing monitoring in Ireland by the Health Product Regulatory Authority (HPRA).

The delivery of vaccines under APAs that the Commission has negotiated on behalf of Member States are predicated upon a CMA being obtained from the Commission (on the basis of a positive recommendation being awarded by the EMA).

The awarding of a CMA provides a high level of assurance that a vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and has met the requirements of the independent regulatory process as regards demonstrating its safety and efficacy.

The Sinopharm vaccine has not been awarded a CMA to date.