Ireland has dropped all Covid restrictions for travellers to the country.
The relaxation of rules came into force yesterday (Sunday), including the removal of the need for travellers to fill in the Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form (PLF).
The UK trade has been lobbying for PLFs to be dropped for international arrivals, with Huw Merriman, chair of the Transport Select Committee of MPs, voicing confidence that the requirement will be dropped by Easter.
Announcing the changes, the Dublin government said: “From Sunday 6 March 2022, travellers to Ireland are not required to show proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative PCR test result upon arrival.
“There are no post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements for travellers to Ireland.
“Any individual that develops COVID-19 symptoms while in Ireland should follow the Health Service Executive guidance in relation to isolation and undertaking antigen or PCR testing as appropriate.
“From Sunday 6 March 2022, travellers to Ireland are no longer asked to complete a Covid-19 Passenger Locator Form.
“Travel carriers will not ask to check a PLF receipt prior to travel to Ireland.”
However, travellers transiting from overseas to Northern Ireland via Irish ports or airports still need to comply with UK travel requirements, including completing a UK PLF.
The changes led to an updating of Foreign Office travel advice which said: “If you are travelling to Ireland from Sunday 6 March 2022, you do not need to show any proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, proof of negative test or Irish passenger locator form receipt.
“There are no post-arrival testing or quarantine requirements for travel to Ireland.”
Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said reacted by tweeting: “ We are seeing Ireland leading the way with the removal of all Covid travel restrictions, including Irish passenger locator form, proof of vaccination, proof of testing.”
Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “The removal of the last remaining Covid-19 restrictions for those entering the Republic of Ireland means that international travellers can now visit the destination hassle free.
“With Passenger Locator Forms and testing requirements removed, it’s now even easier for travellers to visit Ireland and we can’t wait to welcome them back.”