Around 134,000 people travelled in and out of Dublin Airport throughout the first 12 days of July the Taoiseach has said.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions today Micheal Martin said while the figure was of concern to some he said it represented a 91% drop compared to the footfall Dublin Airport saw at the same time last year.
The Taoiseach was responding to criticism from Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald who blasted Martin over the government's message on foreign travel following the publication of the green list this week.
Speaking in the Dail, Mr Martin said: "In the first 12 days last July in 2019 we were looking at about 1.469 million people arriving in from Dublin Airport.
"The figure this July is about 134,000 people. There's been a lot of hype about the travel. There's been a lot of concern about it.
"I acknowledge the concern but we need to keep it in perspective. 91% drop in travel in and out of Dublin in the first 12 days of July between this year and last year.
"The issue as I said yesterday is how do we live with Covid in the next 12 to 15 months in the absence of a vaccine."
McDonald quizzed the Taoiseach on what measures would be put in place to ensure people entering the country from badly affected regions would quarantine for a 14 day period.
She said: "You have put yourself at odds with public health advice which is for no international travel and you have said to the public that you can travel with reduced risks but please do not do so."
The official green list features 15 countries in Europe now deemed safe to travel to including Italy and Greece.
This has not changed the official health guidelines which say that Irish people should not travel abroad for non-essential reasons.
