Travellers who break new mandatory home quarantine laws will face fines of up to €2,500 and/or six months in prison.
As reported by The Irish Independent, the new travel rules, which will be signed into law by health minister Stephen Donnelly and implemented in the coming days, will require travellers who arrive in Ireland via either air or water to stay in their homes for up to two weeks after they arrive in the country.
The new laws are among a suite of measures to clamp down on overseas travel to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and they will replace current guidelines that require travellers to restrict their movements for two weeks after their arrival in Ireland.
Rules For Travellers From South Africa And South America
Travellers who arrive from South Africa, Brazil and some other South American countries will be instructed to quarantine for a full two weeks, even if they have a negative COVID-19 test result. Legislation to introduce mandatory quarantine in designated centres such as hotels is in the process of being drafted, but will not be signed into law for least another week.
Rules For All Other Travellers
All other travellers who have negative COVID-19 test results will be required to quarantine at home for a minimum of five days, after which they can pay for a new COVID-19 test and, if the new test produces a negative result, they will then be permitted to leave their homes.
Essential workers, however, will not be required to quarantine at home if they arrive in Ireland for work-related purposes.
Garda Enforcement
Gardaí will be expected to enforce the new laws.
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