Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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3096. To ask the Minister for Health if Ireland will recognise the Digital COVID Certificate issued by Switzerland which was approved by the European Commission on 8 July 2021 for the purposes of non-essential travel to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40254/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Digital COVID Certificate Regulation is intended to facilitate people’s fundamental right to move and reside freely and help to support the lifting of restrictions currently in place in a coordinated manner within the EU.

As the Minister for Health, I am supporting the work of my Department in collaborating with relevant Departments under the leadership of the Department of Taoiseach to assist in the on-going implementation of the EU Digital COVID Certificates.

I understand that Switzerland has been awarded and implementing decision under Article 3(10) of the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation establishing the equivalence of COVID-19 certificates issued by Switzerland to the certificates issued in accordance with EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation.

As a result COVID-19 vaccination, test and recovery certificates issued by Switzerland shall be treated as equivalent to those issued in accordance with the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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3097. To ask the Minister for Health if an Irish citizen who travelled to the US before the digital certificate was issued for an emergency is required to have a negative PCR test 72 hours before arrival back in Ireland. [40285/21]

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.

A traveller arriving to Ireland from the US who does not hold accepted evidence of vaccination or recovery, as laid out in S.I. 135 / 2021, is asked to show evidence of a negative / non-detected RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival and undergo 14-days self-quarantine at the address listed on their COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form. This legal requirement to home quarantine can be shortened if a negative/not-detected result is obtained from a RT-PCR test taken no less than 5 days after arrival.

International travel policy is kept under continuous consideration informed by the international epidemiological situation and public health advice.