Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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1939. To ask the Minister for Health the position in relation to whether an Irish citizen returning here in difficult circumstances, humanitarian grounds for example if a family member is dying or has died has to undergo 14 days mandatory hotel quarantine if a negative PCR test can be supplied; if, and the way in which an Irish citizen can apply for an exemption; the procedure in place for citizens to get an exemption to the MHQ; if he will confirm whether or not someone who has been vaccinated has to undergo MHQ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19350/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Act 1947, as amended, provides that all persons arriving in Ireland from a designated state, or having travelled through a designated state in the previous 14 days, are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a designated facility unless they are an exempted traveller under the Act. The full list of exempted travellers is available on gov.ie/quarantine.

Mandatory hotel quarantine is also necessary in circumstances where passengers coming from non-designated states do not provide evidence that they have a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test carried out no more than 72 hours before arrival into Ireland.

The provisions of the Act allows for travellers to request a review of decisions relating to their quarantine; however this can only be undertaken once quarantine has begun. The State Liaison Officer (Irish Defence Forces) in your designated hotel can provide further information on how to apply.

The Government continues to evaluate wider policy on international travel as informed by the epidemiological situation and public health advice.

As of 17th April, travellers who are fully vaccinated with an EMA approved vaccine and have documents to prove vaccination are exempt. Fully vaccinated travellers are still required to have a negative pre-departure RT-PCR test and complete a period of self-quarantine at home or wherever specified in their passenger locator form.

Neither myself or my Department have any role in deciding which persons must enter mandatory quarantine or which persons are exempt from entering mandatory quarantine. All such decisions are to be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Act.