Following an easing of International Travel restrictions, that came into effect from Monday 19th July, the following restrictions apply to sailors and leisure vessels travelling in and out of Ireland.
For all passengers travelling to Ireland
If you are travelling to Ireland from abroad you must fill out a Passenger Locator Form before departure.
All passengers arriving to Ireland are legally obliged to have one of the following:
1. Evidence of having been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency; or
2. Evidence of having recovered from Covid-19 in the previous six months*; or
3. A negative/not detected result from a RT-PCR Covid-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to their arrival. Antigen or other alternative tests are not acceptable.
Travel from within the EU
If you have valid proof of vaccination, no travel-related testing or quarantine will be necessary.
If you have valid proof that you have recovered from COVID in the past 180 days, no travel-related testing or quarantine will be necessary.
If you do not have valid proof of vaccination or recovery, you will need to present evidence of a negative RT-PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival into the country
Travel from Outside the EU (Incl GB)
If your journey originates in a country to which is not a Designated State:
If you have valid proof of vaccination, no travel-related testing or quarantine will be necessary.
If you have valid proof of recovery from COVID in the past 180 days, no travel-related testing or quarantine will be necessary.
If you do not have valid proof of vaccination or recovery, you will need to:
· present evidence of a negative result from a RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival into the country
· self-quarantine for 14 days
· if you receive a negative result from a RT-PCR test taken from day 5 onwards after arrival into Ireland, you will be able to leave quarantine
Mandatory Hotel Quarantine
Passengers arriving to Ireland who have been in or transited through a designated state in the 14 days prior to their arrival and are travelling on the basis of a negative/not detected result from a RT-PCR test are required to quarantine at a designated facility for up to 14 days.
In addition, a passenger arriving from any location and travelling on the basis of a negative/not detected result from a test and the test is not a RT-PCR test, or whose evidence of vaccination or recovery is deemed invalid, will also be required to quarantine at a designated facility until such time as a negative/not detected result from a RT-PCR test is received.
The cost of mandatory hotel quarantine is at the passengers own expense and should be booked in advance of travel. A passenger subject to mandatory hotel quarantine who has not booked their place in the facility in advance of travel will be denied boarding. A booking for the mandatory quarantine facility can be made here www.gov.ie/quarantine
Travelling with children
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be required to have a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival to travel into the country, unless they have valid proof of vaccination or recovery.
Children of any age, travelling with accompanying vaccinated or recovered adults will not be required to self-quarantine post arrival. However, where one accompanying adult needs to self-quarantine, then all children must also self-quarantine.
International Events
Sport Ireland have advised that exemptions relating to elite athletes apply only to those who are carded under Sport Ireland’s High Performance programme. All other sailors, either traveling to Ireland to take part in international events, or those returning home from International Competition, will need to comply with whatever travel restrictions are in place at the time.
Leisure Vessels
As per Marine Notice 16 of 21 (Updated 20/07/21), crew of leisure vessels arriving into Ireland from abroad should comply with the travel restrictions outlined above. In addition they need to comply with HSE requirements for all vessels arriving into Irish Ports which is detailed in Marine Notice 06 of 2020 (Updated 20/07/21).
Harry Hermon
CEO