Northern Ireland

Unclear if Irish passport holders in north will qualify for EU digital certificate for travel

International Covid travel restrictions in the Republic are due to be lifted next month. A new EU digital certificate will also be rolled out. Picture Brian Lawless/PA Wire
International Covid travel restrictions in the Republic are due to be lifted next month. A new EU digital certificate will also be rolled out. Picture Brian Lawless/PA Wire International Covid travel restrictions in the Republic are due to be lifted next month. A new EU digital certificate will also be rolled out. Picture Brian Lawless/PA Wire

THE Republic's government has signed up to the EU digital green certificate for travel - but cannot say if Irish passport holders in Northern Ireland will be eligible.

Officials in Dublin are working on getting the initiative up and running ahead of international travel restrictions easing on July 19.

The digital pass can be scanned at an airport and indicates if a traveller has either been vaccinated, produced a negative Covid test or has recovered from the virus in the past six months.

It will allow passengers to travel with the 27 EU bloc countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Dublin was contacted for comment about the extension of the certificate to those living north of the border.

Sources say it was anticipated there would "mutual recognition" for northerners with Irish passports.

There are mounting concerns that the emergence of the new Delta variant could impact on overseas travel.

Earlier this week, the Republic's Minister of State for eGovernment, Ossian Smyth, confirmed the Irish certificate has been designed and the digital signature required to authenticate it has already been tested with the EU.

He said the State will be ready to roll out it by July 18.

Mr Smyth told the Seanad that adults who have received a Covid-19 vaccine or have recently recovered from the virus will not have to apply for a digital green certificate but will have it emailed to them.

Unvaccinated people will be allowed to travel within the bloc once they have a certificate proving a negative PCR test result.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland is continuing to develop a 'COVID-free status Validation Service (CVS)' certificate for travel.

It is understood this will be a paper document and it expected to be available next month.

The department spokeswoman said: "This will allow NI residents to provide verified proof of vaccination, and other accepted standards, where required. This development will take into account emerging World Health Organisation (WHO) and EU common standards for COVID status certificates."