A FURTHER 13 countries have been added to the list of countries from where people arriving here would be required to quarantine in a hotel, bringing the total to 33. 

Primary legislation has to pass all stages of the Oireachtas before people are mandated to quarantine in hotels, but people arriving from ‘category 2′ countries are currently legally required to self-quarantine for a full two weeks. 

The 13 states being added to the mandatory hotel quarantine list include: 

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• French Guiana
• Guyana
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Suriname
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

Anyone arriving into this country without a negative PCR test is also considered ‘category 2′ and must quarantine for a full two weeks. 

The government is continuing to advise against all non-essential international travel.

“If you travel to Ireland from any of the high-risk countries, you must complete a full 14-day quarantine period,” Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said. 

“This applies to all passengers from designated states, regardless of nationality and the aim of this measure is to protect the population from challenges posed by new variants of concern.”

Donnelly brought legislation to the Dáil this week to bring in mandatory quarantine in a designated facility. 

“Once the Bill has passed through all stages in the Oireachtas, it will be referred to the President for his consideration. Subject to the Bill becoming law, it is the government’s intention to commence the operation of mandatory quarantine facilities as soon as possible,” Donnelly said. 

The other countries currently designated as Category 2 are: 

• Angola
• Austria
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Burundi
• Cape Verde
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Eswatini
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Republic of South Africa
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Tanzania
• United Arab Emirates
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

A national oversight group for Variants of Concern (VOCS) has been established to monitor and advise upon the challenges posed by VOCs.

The group provides advice to the Chief Medical Officer, who in turn advises the Minister for Health on countries to be specified as Category 2 under the current Regulations (S.I. No. 44 of 2021).