People travelling into Ireland from overseas won’t have to quarantine for 14 days if they can provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test.
The test is at the travellers expense and can cost between €150-€200.
This means that people travelling in and out of the country will no longer have to restrict their movements upon return.
The new rules will come into force at the end of this month and applies to people travelling from red or orange countries.
According to Minister of State with Responsibility for European Affairs Thomas Byrne, private testing centres are likely to be put in Irish airports.
However, he said that these new measures should not encourage people to participate in unnecessary travel: “We are not encouraging travel at the moment and we are not encouraging people to come into the country unless they have to, so the situation hasn’t really changed.
“But, this is a European system and we’ve common policies right across Europe in relation to travel.
“It’s important to remember we are still in Level 5 restrictions and people are being asked not to travel except for the reasons set out in the regulations.
“This isn’t a mechanism to open the doors it’s a mechanism to allow travel where that’s possible.
“The Government has been clear we won’t be using any state capacity for this, we won’t be using HSE resources, people will have to provide this themselves.
“I think between €150 and €200 is what the private sector is looking for (for a PCR Covid test).
“It has to be the private sector as the state simply cannot afford this.”
