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From Today, passengers arriving to Ireland from overseas will be required to complete a COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form.

Under new regulations, signed by Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD, passengers arriving from overseas must complete the form and failure to do so will be an offence.

Passengers will be required to provide an address for where they will be staying in Ireland as well as personal contact details. The forms may be used to conduct follow-up checks to make sure people who travel to Ireland are staying where they said they would. They can also be used by contact tracing teams to contact passengers should there be a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 of a flight or ferry coming to Ireland.

People arriving from Northern Ireland, working in defined essential supply chain roles, foreign diplomats and passengers who are transiting through the State without leaving the port or airport will not be required to complete the form. Passengers who are travelling immediately onwards to Northern Ireland will have to fill out a portion of the form.

Government guidelines asking those who arrive in Ireland to self-isolate for a period of 14 days remain in place.

Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD said: “This is a temporary measure that is being introduced in a time of a public health crisis. The people of Ireland have managed to suppress COVID-19 in our communities, and through their actions are enabling the resumption of social and economic life.

“The Government is concerned that as we move towards the easing of measures, the risk of importing new cases through non-essential travel increases. The introduction of these rules is aimed to limit this risk.

“We continue to advise Irish citizens and residents against all non-essential international travel, and passengers arriving into Ireland from overseas are asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

“Like all other measures we’ve introduced during this public health crisis, the purpose of these regulations to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to protect people from this virus.”

The Regulations introduce new offences punishable by a fine not exceeding €2,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both, for the following:

  • Failure to complete and give the form to a relevant person
  • Providing information that to the person’s knowledge is false or misleading (whether on the form, when presenting the form, or in subsequent follow-up checks)
  • Failure to provide further information to a relevant person upon request (who suspects that the form has not been completed properly)
  • Failure to update residence or contact details if they change within 14 days of arrival into the State.

Notes:

  • The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A – Temporary Requirements) (COVID-19 Passenger Locator Form) Regulations 2020 were signed by Minister Harris on 25 May 2020 and will come into force on Thursday 28 May 2020.
  • The following passengers arriving from overseas are not required to complete this form:
    • Aircraft crew, including the pilot, who are in Ireland in the course of performing their duties
    • Diplomats
    • International transport workers who:
      • Have a Green Lane Annex 3 Certificate
      • Are driving a Heavy Goods Vehicle
      • Ship crew, including the master, who are in Ireland in the course of performing their duties
    • Passengers in transit to another jurisdiction which does not involve leaving the port or airport
  • Passengers who are travelling immediately onwards to Northern Ireland should indicate this and will be required to fill out a portion of the form (name and signature).
  • All other passengers arriving to the State from overseas are required to complete the form, including Irish citizens.
  • The regulations make it an offence to not complete the form or to provide false or misleading information on form.
  • It will be an offence not to notify the HSE if any of the information on the form changes in the 14 days after arrival in the State.
  • Penalties for committing an offence under these regulations include a fine not exceeding €2,500 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both, under section 31A(6) of the Health Act 1947.

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