The introduction of PCR and antigen testing for people arriving into Ireland from overseas has been delayed.
The new rules were supposed to come into force at 00:01am this morning; however, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said there has been a “slight delay” in the signing off of the regulations.
It means anybody planning to fly into Ireland today or tomorrow has paid for testing they no longer need.
It is believed the new rules will now come into force from Sunday.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Minister McEntee said the new system will be rolled out as soon as possible.
“My understanding is that regulations are being introduced and there may have been some slight delay just in the signing off of regulations,” she said.
“It is not an intentional delay. Obviously, a lot of work has to go into regulations to sign them between a number of different departments so it is not that there is an intentional delay here, but that will be rectified and will be signed off on today is my understanding.
“It just takes time unfortunately. Some of these, they go between various different departments but they will be introduced.
“What we agreed at Cabinet was that we would have not just PCR but also antigen testing for anybody coming into the country from the 3rd. There has been a slight delay but that is very much just procedural and it will continue as planned.”
A further 4,163 COVID cases were announced last night; however, the number of patients in hospital was down 9% on last week. The number of patients in ICU was down 7% on last week.
This morning, it emerged that NPHET is recommending a series of new restrictions on hospitality as well as a limit on Christmas gatherings in the home.
Minister McEntee said she has yet to see the NPHET advice.
She said it would not be helpful to comment until she has seen the advice.
“I will, of course, take on board the recommendations, whatever they are, from NPHET but since I haven’t seen the advice, I am not sure it would be helpful for me to comment,” she said.
She said it is positive that figures appear to be stabilising but noted that the figures are “still not quite as low as we would like them to be”.
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