Concerns are being raised over EU countries not being added to the mandatory quarantine list, despite high rates of COVID-19.
Sinn Féin's David Cullinane said there's an 'obvious risk and danger' if people are coming into Ireland from countries experiencing another surge of cases.
Yesterday evening, 26 countries and states were added to the current mandatory hotel quarantine list - meaning all arrivals from those countries will have to book a 12-day stay in a designated hotel before arriving here.
However, arrivals from France, Germany, Italy, the US and several other countries won't face mandatory hotel quarantine - despite recommendations from public health officials.
The Government has acknowledged they’ve received public health advice about a ‘number of other states’.
However, they say the decision is being delayed until the next Government meeting as issues around hotel capacity and the Common Travel Area need to be considered - as well as a “need to consult with our EU partners”.
Discussions between the Health Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister are said to be underway over the proposed expansion of the list.
Several large EU states are currently experiencing another virus surge, with France having announced tough new restrictions for the entire country earlier this week.
Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane raised concerns about such countries not being included on the revised list.
He said: “What would concern people is that if we don’t apply to this to countries in Europe who are experiencing very high levels of infection.
“If we have passengers coming in from those countries that don’t need to quarantine in a hotel, then the risk is obvious and the danger is obvious.”
He said the hotel quarantine system is in place for non-essential travel, and it ‘makes no sense whatsoever' that arrivals from high-risk countries in Europe aren’t subject to the same rules.
Austria is the only EU state currently on the mandatory quarantine list, along with nine smaller European states and territories such as Albania, Kosovo and Monaco.
It comes amid warnings that increasing the number of countries on the quarantine list could lead to legal difficulties.
Government minister Simon Harris, meanwhile, said there are still “logistical questions” to be answered about the quarantine system.
