Foreign holidays could become a possibility thanks to a new EU-wide travel certificate.
The digital green certificate, which is expected to be up and running in June, could allow people who have been vaccinated to travel within the 27 EU countries later this summer.
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said that the new certificates will be Ireland's "ticket back to foreign travel and rebooting our aviation sector".
But he added that if the vaccination program and testing is brought up to speed by mid-summer, then late summer could see foreign travel becoming a possibility.
Last night the Tanaiste said June is “too soon” for fully vaccinated Irish people hoping to travel abroad for summer holidays
Leo Varadkar echoed Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney who stated although the EU green passport will be up and running in June, Irish people will be urged not to book flights.
However, Mr Coveney said there is “good news on the horizon” for non-essential travel over the coming months.
Mr Coveney said yesterday the European Commission’s green passport scheme will be an IT and data system that can allow people to be on a database that would confirm that they’ve been vaccinated fully and are therefore in a different risk category.
Cabinet will meet next week and reveal their plan for the easing of restrictions over May, June and July.
