It is "not too late" for the Government to enact a travel ban on all people entering this State, with the exception of residents, as part of the overall effort to combat the spread of Covid-19.
This is the view of Sinn Féin Galway West TD, Mairéad Farrell, who believes the State must impose "stricter entry restrictions", along the lines of those "successfully adhered to in New Zealand", as part of the effort to combat Covid-19.
Despite calls from public, media, and politicians for entry restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has resisted introducing such measures.
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"While the vast majority adhere to a strict lockdown, people have still been arriving into the State from abroad," she said. "It is baffling that there are still significant numbers arriving at our seaports and airports who are neither residents, nor have a valid reason for travelling to Ireland."
She also said it was "confusing" that residents returning home are "not being assessed" when they arrive as to the risk they may pose, whether they need to be medically quarantined, or if they should be provided with a place to isolate for 14 days.
'New Zealand regulations ensure those arriving home are medically assessed, with high-risk persons medically quarantined'
In contrast, New Zealand sealed their borders on March 19 to all arrivals by land or sea, with the exception of permanent residents and residents with valid travel conditions - a measure that has been "pivotal to their successful efforts" to reduce Covid-19 transmissions, according to Dep Farrell.
The New Zealand regulations also ensure those arriving home are medically assessed, with high-risk persons medically quarantined, with other arrivals managed in isolation facilities. Indeed, there was some controversy this week, when New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, compared Ireland's handling of the situation, to that in her own country.
"I was just looking at Ireland, their stepping down is taking them through to July before some people are back in work," she said. "Because we’ve actually been able to contain as we have, if we do it right, we’ll be back in quick step back into getting the economy moving again, whereas others are taking a very long time."
