Irish families in Great Britain banking on visiting family for the first time in a year have been given the green light to travel to Ireland quarantine free if parents are Covid free and vaccinated.
In an update to its website, the Irish government made clear that vaccinated adults would not have to provide a PCR test or quarantine on entry. It has also loosened the rules for children over seven to bring them into line with the rest of the EU, eliminating the prohibitive costs of Covid tests for under-12s.
It also confirmed late on Friday for the first time that children would not have to quarantine if travelling with vaccinated parents.
“Children of any age, travelling with accompanying vaccinated or recovered adults will not be required to self-quarantine post arrival. However, where one accompanying adult needs to self-quarantine, then all children must also self-quarantine,” it said.
“Currently, children between the ages of seven and 17 must have a negative RT-PCR test in order to travel into Ireland, even with fully vaccinated or recovered adults. Children aged six and under do not need to take a RT-PCR test prior to travelling to Ireland. From 19 July, children aged 12 and over will be required to have a negative RT-PCR test to travel into the country,” it said.
Irish people living in Great Britain have described the lack of information from the Irish government as “appalling”. Last week it announced the borders were opening again to non-essential travel for the first time since January but gave no confirmation it would accept NHS vaccinations or whether children had to test and quarantine.
While the government continued to decline to answer press inquiries in relation to children, Ryanair issued a notice to its own passengers that from Monday under 18s who have a negative PCR test would not have to quarantine after arriving in Ireland.
Ryanair’s website states clearly that from 19 July “Both EU and UK children between the ages of 12 and 18 will still require a negative PCR test, to travel to Ireland with their families, but will not have to quarantine”.
Many Irish people living in Great Britain have said they are desperate to visit parents, some who have not seen their grandchildren for two years, but were still unclear whether it was safe to book a ferry or flight.
One parent who contacted the Guardian, said: “I’m Irish living in UK with a 12-year-old and seven-year-old who haven’t seen 89- and 85-year-old grandparents in Ireland for two years now. Due to fly next week but completely unclear about requirements. PCR tests are prohibitive – logistically and financially – so it’s appalling the Irish authorities don’t provide clarity in whether they’re required, despite me and my wife being fully vaccinated.”
Ireland has had one of the strictest border closures in Europe, with non-essential travel banned since January, leaving entry open to limited categories such as hauliers, supply-chain workers and those with compassionate grounds to visit.
