The ban comes into effect from midnight tonight.
The Irish government has put into place a 48-hour ban on all non-essential travel from Britain, in response to a new variant of the Covid-19 virus that has been discovered in England.
The ban comes into effect from midnight tonight (effectively from 12.01am on Monday, December 21), and the ban applies to passengers intending to travel on flights and ferries from Britain to Ireland.
Currently, there is no ban or increased restrictions set to be applied to travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
Ireland joins Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands as EU countries that have placed a travel ban on Britain following the news of the new virus variant.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan made the announcement this evening, stating:
“In the circumstances it’s appropriate for us to stop air traffic from Great Britain. We thought it was appropriate to put it in place for 48 hours, review how it’s working, and whether further or [fewer] measures are needed.”
RTE report that the travel ban was agreed upon by the three coalition party leaders who held discussions on Sunday afternoon, and that government officials are currently working on the final details of the plan, which will include a number of exemptions, such as essential workers and for the delivery of goods into the country.
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