Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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2049. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a series of matters relating to vaccination and mandatory hotel quarantine (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36375/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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States are designated under the Health Act 1947 by the Minister for Health on the advice of the CMO and following consultation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and across Government as necessary. The list of designated states is under constant review. Each designation and revocation is informed by a detailed and individualised risk assessment on a country basis by public health experts and senior officials.

Any person, other than an exempted traveller, who has been in a designated State within 14 daysof arriving in Ireland must pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility and present for quarantine on arrival.

Ireland procures COVID-19 vaccines through its participation in an EU procurement process and their approval is by the Commission following recommendation by the EMA. At present, the Sputnik vaccine has not received EMA approval.

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).

Passengers who are fully vaccinated in accordance with the table below and have the documents to confirm this are not required to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland.

What 'fully vaccinated' means:

Dependents in the company of adults who are travelling on the basis of their status as a fully vaccinated traveller or a traveller who has recovered from Covid-19 and who have the documents to confirm this, will not be required to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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2050. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify entry guidelines for a fully vaccinated Greek national wishing to visit Ireland for business reasons; and the requirements for this person in order to enter Ireland according to health guidelines. [36326/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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S.I. 135 of 2021 provides for the testing and quarantine travel measures for arrivals to Ireland from overseas based on their country of departure and whether they hold accepted evidence of vaccination, recovery or a negative RT-PCR test result.

Currently passengers arriving into Ireland from inside the EU with valid proof of vaccination of an EMA approved vaccine are not subject to additional travel-related testing or quarantine.

There is comprehensive information on international travel on gov.ie/travel and www.dfa/travel and passengers are encouraged to check the public health advice and restrictions in place in the destinations they are travelling to before embarking.