Leo Varadkar is telling Irish people abroad not to book flights home for Christmas.
The Tánaiste said that it is a time for 'honesty' as he warned that the risk of Covid 'reseeding' is too great for now.
Mr Varadkar has put it bluntly, telling the Dáil: “I think in terms of people booking flights for Christmas to come home, I advise them not to do that at the moment.”
And he warned there could actually be “a higher risk” of infections spreading from Northern Ireland because of the higher rates and different rules there.
The news will come as a devastating blow for every family in the country trying to salvage a decent Christmas from the ruins of a year ravaged by Covid.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said last night that he wants to see a “reasonable Christmas", but this will be very hard to imagine if loved ones can’t plan flights home.
Mr Varadkar said: “International travel is a risk.
“I think we need to be upfront and honest about that.
“There is a risk that as we get down to very low levels again that the country could be reseeded by people travelling in from overseas."
He added: “I think in terms of people booking flights for Christmas to come home, I advise them not to do that at the moment.
“I know that’s difficult, I know that’s tough, but Christmas is six weeks away and it’s too soon now for people to be booking flights to come home.”
Mr Varadkar also warned of the dangers of reseeding coming from our friends and neighbours in Northern Ireland over Christmas.
He said: “There’s perhaps a higher risk at the moment of people engaged in North-South travel, where a different approach is being taken in Northern Ireland, that we could be reseeded from Northern Ireland.”
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