Ireland reopens further for the summer

International travel will take off from 19 July in compliance with the EU Digital Covid Certificate

The Irish government decided on Friday to go ahead with the next stage of reopening the country’s economy and society in line with Resilience and Recovery: The Path Ahead plan. The government acted upon the earlier than expected advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), which recommended that the cautious and phased reopening continue throughout June, July and August.

The emphasis on outdoor activity should remain, and sufficient time between phases should be provided so as to assess the impact and ensure that progress in controlling the virus is maintained, especially with the threat of new variants looming large.

See the forthcoming changes as listed by the government’s press service:

From 28 May

• Belgium, France, Luxembourg and the United States will be removed from the Mandatory Hotel Quarantine list.

From 2 June

• Accommodation services including hotels, B&Bs, self-catering and hostels can reopen. Leisure facilities, indoor restaurant and bar areas of accommodation establishments must serve overnight guests/residents only.

From 7 June

• Outdoor events can be attended by up to 100 people for most venues, with up to 200 people present at outdoor venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000.
• Cinemas and theatres can reopen.
• Driver Theory Test Services will partially reopen (25,000 tests per month with related incremental opening of driver test centres).
• Unvaccinated households can be visited indoors by members of one other household.
• The numbers of guests attending a wedding celebration or reception can increase to 25.
• Outdoor sports matches can resume.
• Gyms, swimming pools, leisure centres can reopen for individual training only.
• Outdoor services in restaurants and bars can recommence.
• Outdoor amusement/theme parks/funfairs can reopen.
• Drive-in cinema and drive-in bingo can resume operating.
• Swimming lessons and classes can take place

Live test events

A selected number of sporting and cultural pilot live events with a limited attendance will take place in June to assess logistical arrangements and protective measures to be put in place when venues reopen in July and admit growing visitor numbers in August. 

From 5 July (depending on the public health situation) 

• A household can meet indoors with up to 3 other households.
• 50 guests can attend wedding receptions/celebrations
• Organised indoor events (business, training, conferences, theatre, arts) can recommence, permitting a maximum of 50 attendees at the majority of venues in groups of up to 6, with no intermingling of groups. Max of 100 in larger venues where strict 2 metre seated social distancing and one-way controls for entry and exit can be implemented.
• The numbers permitted at outdoor organised events can further increase to a maximum of 200 for the majority of venues, with a maximum of 500 for outdoor stadia/venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000.
• Indoor training, exercise and dance activities can recommence in pods of up to 6.
• Restaurants and bars can reopen interior areas for customers.
• Indoor activities - bowling alleys, snooker halls, amusement arcades, ice-skating/roller skating rinks and children’s play centres, indoor water parks – can resume.

Travel rules from 19 July

Ireland will be applying the EU Digital Covid Certificate (DCC) for travel originating within the EU, as well as the EEA (Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland). Passengers arriving into Ireland with a DCC will not have to undergo quarantine. However, arrivals with a DCC based on a non-PCR test must submit proof of a negative RT-PCR test not older than 72 hours. Children aged between 7 and 18 who have not been vaccinated must also have a negative PCR test.

Under consideration for August

• Maximum attendance at wedding receptions and celebrations increasing to 100.
• Further increases in the numbers permitted at indoor and outdoor events.
• Public transport to return to full capacity.