Options are being finalised this week.

With a further 68 confirmed cases of Covid-19 confirmed yesterday and a three-fold increase in cases over the past two weeks, the Government is considering new restrictions on tourists arriving from coronavirus hot spots outside of the EU.

As Kildare, Laois and Offaly begin a fortnight of localised lockdown, residents are frustrated that tourists remain free to enter the country and move around at their leisure during their stay. As it stands, passengers arriving from all countries are allowed to travel to Ireland. If you are arriving from a country that is not on Ireland’s ‘Green List’, you are advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

A National Standing Committee to oversee Covid-19 cases and outbreaks in Food Processing Plants and the Construction Industry was established on Friday. Now the Department of Health is also preparing a proposal on how to restrict non-essential travel from countries outside of the EU and UK) with high rates of Covid-19.

‘My department is preparing options’

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told his Twitter followers that he has received many questions from people who are worried about the number of tourists arriving in Ireland and admitted he is “concerned about high rates in some places”.

Many are asking about travel/tourists coming into Ireland from countries with high Covid rates. My Dept is preparing options for Gov on how to restrict non-essential travel from third countries (outside EU/UK) with high rates of Covid. Am concerned about high rates in some places

— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) August 9, 2020

Mr Donnelly confirmed that his department is working on a plan this week.

“These options will be finalised as soon as possible. While travel-related cases here remain small, some countries are seeing a rapid rise in cases so the risk is increasing. Once proposals are finalized they will be presented to Gov for discussion.” he tweeted.