Ireland

Change to travel rules in Republic of Ireland for passengers from ‘red’ listed countries

The scheme, which is part of the EU traffic light system, will mean travellers have to take a Covid-19 test before they travel
The scheme, which is part of the EU traffic light system, will mean travellers have to take a Covid-19 test before they travel The scheme, which is part of the EU traffic light system, will mean travellers have to take a Covid-19 test before they travel

People travelling to the Republic of Ireland from “red” listed regions will no longer have to restrict their movements once they receive a negative Covid-19 test after arriving in the country.

The test must be taken five days after arrival in the Republic of Ireland.

The new travel rules are due to come into effect from midnight on November 29.

The Irish government agreed the changes at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in a bid to bring Ireland in line with the EU’s traffic light system.

It will have a significant impact on people travelling at Christmas as it will limit the number of days people have to spend in self-isolation once they arrive.

In a statement, the Government said: “From midnight 29th November, arrivals from an EU red region will not be expected to restrict movements following receipt of a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken a minimum of five days after arrival in Ireland.”

It means if people receive a negative PCR test they will be free to move around rather than having to isolate their movement for 14 days.

The Government said this provision will also be available to people arriving from orange regions who may not have availed of a pre-departure test.

It comes after the Government adopted the EU’s traffic light system last month.

At present, travellers from red regions have to restrict their movements for 14 days.

Most of Europe falls into the red list category currently due to the surge in coronavirus cases.

As of last Sunday, travellers from “orange” regions no longer have to restrict their movements if they have a negative Covid-19 test result up to three days before arrival.

EU regions currently listed as orange by the European Centre for Disease Control include Norway, Finland, and parts of Greece.

Changes for “green” regions have already been made, which means people arriving into the Republic of Ireland from those countries do not have to restrict their movement for 14 days.

Green regions are based on a 14-day notification rate lower than 25 cases per 100,000 and a test positivity rate below 4%.

Orange regions are based on a 14-day notification rate lower than 50 cases per 100,000.

The red regions are based on a 14-day notification rate of 50 cases per 100,000 or higher.

Arrivals from Britain are subject to the same traffic light system as set out for EU countries.

The approach to third countries, notably the US, will be kept under review.

The only exception to the traffic light system is for passengers arriving into the Republic of Ireland from Denmark who are requested to self-isolate for 14 days after their arrival.

The proposed measures for arrivals from orange, red and green regions, once implemented, will be reviewed fortnightly.

Everyone arriving in the Republic of Ireland excluding essential transport workers must complete a passenger locator form and are expected to following the Government’s current public health advice.

The Government’s current advice recommends that there should be no non-essential international travel.