[ad_1]
MEPs have written to the Irish government calling for a change in coronavirus travel restrictions to allow them to test rather than self-isolate for two weeks.
The request was made so that they could more easily move between Brussels, Strasbourg and Ireland as part of their job.
It comes in the wake of the resignation of former European Commissioner Phil Hogan after he violated the rule that travelers arriving from Belgium must self-isolate for 14 days. In his defense, he argued that he believed he was free to move after having received a negative Covid-19 test result.
The leaders of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party in the European Parliament wrote to Taoiseach Micheál Martin this week to request that the quarantine rules be reconsidered, suggesting that tests for Covid-19 before and after the trip should be sufficient.
“This week, the European Parliament met again after the summer holidays and will meet weekly, either in Strasbourg or Brussels, until Christmas. To fully fulfill our duties, we have to attend in person, ”reads the letter from MEPs Billy Kelleher, Seán Kelly and Ciarán Cuffe, according to a copy seen by The Irish Times.
“Under current guidelines, each of us must be quarantined for two weeks upon our return to Ireland. This significantly restricts our activities when we are at home. “
“We understand that guideline[s] for essential workers, and we hope that the needs of those in similar circumstances, whether they are drivers of long-distance heavy vehicles or government ministers, can be taken into account. “
HGV drivers who are in Ireland for work purposes are already exempted from the need for self-isolation, as are aircraft and ship crews.
Belgium
Other EU countries, including Belgium, exclude additional categories of workers, including MEPs, from the need to observe certain Covid-19 restrictions when traveling due to their work.
The European Parliament has introduced a reimbursement scheme for MEPs who undergo examinations so that they can more easily travel to and from their home country, as some countries require tests to be taken before traveling. MEPs can vote and speak in parliament committees remotely, but must be physically present to speak in plenary sessions.
“We believe that testing for Covid-19 before and after the trip would reduce the potential risk of infection and transmission of the virus and allow Irish MEPs to fully carry out their work,” the MEPs wrote.
Currently, government ministers must apply through the Taoiseach office for permission to travel internationally to represent Ireland at international events such as European summits. Travel is approved only in cases that are considered essential, on the condition that the traveling delegation is small, takes precautions, including repeated tests, and limits its movements to work-related activities.
Ireland took a different path than the rest of the EU in its approach to coronavirus restrictions, imposing a general two-week self-isolation requirement apart from the 10 ‘Green List’ countries.
In general, the rest of the EU has banned casual travel from outside the bloc and opened travel within it, while national governments impose specific additional restrictions on travelers from regions where the virus is actively spreading.
Belgium has been one of the countries most affected by the pandemic and, among their neighboring countries, the Netherlands and Germany classify the Brussels region as a high-risk area for the disease. The European Parliament has not met in Strasbourg since March due to the pandemic.
[ad_2]