Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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752. To ask the Minister for Health the most up-to-date guidance and regulations with regard to outbound travel; the list of essential reasons a person can depart from an air or sea port; the legal ramifications for persons not adhering to the guidance and regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5501/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I signed new regulations titled S.I. No. 29 of 2021 Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No 10) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 ) along with S.I. No. 30 of 2021 (Fixed Penalty Notice Regulations) on Friday 29 January last.

These Regulations outline the following to be reasonable excuses for travel to an airport or port for purpose of leaving the State :-

- To work, comply with a contract of employment or contract for services, or otherwise engage in work or employment

- To provide services to, or perform the functions of, an office holder appointed under any enactment or under the Constitution, or a member of either House of the Oireachtas, the European Parliament or a local authority

- To provide services essential to the functioning of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the State

- To attend, for educational reasons a primary or secondary school, or a university, higher education institution or other education and training facility, to the extent that it is necessary for such educational reasons to attend in person

- To accompany any other person residing with the person, or a vulnerable person, to one of the education facilities mentioned above

- To attend a medical or dental appointment, or accompany, to such an appointment, any other person residing with the person, or a vulnerable person

- To seek essential medical, health or dental assistance for the person, for any other person residing with the person, or for a vulnerable person

- To attend to vital family matters (including providing care to vulnerable persons)

- To attend a funeral

- To fulfil a legal obligation (including attending court, satisfying bail conditions, or participating in ongoing legal proceedings), attend a court office where required, initiate emergency legal proceedings or execute essential legal documents

- if the person is a parent or guardian of a child, or a person having a right of access to a child, to give effect to arrangements for access to the child by the person, or another person who is -

(I)  a parent or guardian of the child, or

(II)  a person having a right of access to the child,

- where the person is not ordinarily resident in the State, to  leave the State

A person whose place of residence is in the State shall not leave it to go to an airport or port for the purposes of leaving the State without reasonable excuse. This is a penal provision and a fixed penalty notice (€500) provision.