Number of EU countries expected to be added to Ireland's mandatory hotel quarantine list

Ministers are expected to add more countries to the mandatory hotel quarantine list at an incorporeal Cabinet meeting tonight.

It’s understood several EU countries could be added to the list, among others worldwide.

Countries that have recently been considered include France, Italy, Germany and even the United States.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan had already indicated that the government would add more countries to the list earlier this week, confirming to the Irish Mirror it would include EU countries.

Austria is currently the only EU country on the list.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has been keen to add more countries to the Category 2 list but there has been push back from Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.

29/03/2021 Defence Forces personnel reflected in an airport window awaiting flights to escort passengers to their mandatory hotel quarantine at Dublin Airport (Collins Agency, Dublin)

Mr Coveney told RTE on Thursday that the legal issues and capacity needed to be examined.

Currently, people travelling into Ireland from 59 countries have to book in to stay at the State facilities for 12 nights and they also have to pay the bill.

The HSE confirmed yesterday there had been 10 Covid cases detected among the over 400 people who have stayed at the hotels since the process got up and running.