Can I travel to Ireland? Latest holiday advice and quarantine rules

IRELAND has released their list of safe countries which people can travel to this summer, with countries including Greece, Cyprus and Malta on the list.

Britain has been left off the list, however, as coronavirus cases remain some of the highest in the world.

Brits will instead face additional safety measures and requirements if they want to enter the country.

Great Britain and the US were expected to be excluded, as only places with a coronavirus infection rate the same or lower than Ireland were allowed on the list.

Ireland's Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the Government advice on non-essential travel is clear.

"The message from the Government is still clear – that the safest thing to do is not take your holidays abroad. To look after your family, stay at home and spend your money at home and holiday at home," he told RTE's Morning Ireland.

Northern Ireland does not face similar restrictions and Brits can go on holiday there right now.

Here is everything you need to know about a holiday to Ireland this summer.

Can I go on holiday to Ireland?

The Foreign Office has lowered the travel ban for Brits heading to Ireland.

They stated: "From 4 July, Ireland is exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks."

However, this has not been reciprocated by Ireland, which sees Britain as a high risk country still due to the higher cases of coronavirus.

They state: "In accordance with Government policy, which is based on official public health advice, the Department of Foreign Affairs continues to advise against non-essential travel overseas.

"This includes Great Britain but does not apply to Northern Ireland."

You also won't need to self-isolate if you are briefly stopping over at an airport in transit or you leave the airport but do not stay overnight.

Will I have to quarantine in Ireland?

Tourists from Britain face restrictions when entering Ireland.

All arrivals have to self-isolate for 14 days, as well as fill in a Passenger Locator Form.

All arrivals, including Irish residents, arriving from overseas must complete a Public Health Passenger Locator Form.

There are no quarantine restrictions or travel bans if visiting Northern Ireland.

Are hotels and attractions open in Ireland?

The country is currently in phase 3 of the lockdown, meaning pubs, bars and nightclubs are remaining closed until August.

Pubs and bars which serve food are allowed to open, but indoor gatherings of more than 50 people are banned.

Face masks are mandatory on all public transport and shops, and you must maintain a distance of 2m.

In Northern Ireland, face masks are only mandatory on public transport. Hotels, bars and restaurants opened earlier this month.

Are flights running to Ireland?

Airlines are operating limited flights to Ireland, with Ryanair offering the most routes to destinations including Cork, Shannon and Dublin.

The low-cost airline removed 1,000 flights between Britain and Ireland earlier this month due to the quarantine restrictions but is still selling some flights between the two countries.

Aer Lingus is also operating UK-Ireland routes.

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