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Most of the passengers surveyed upon arrival at Dublin Airport last week mentioned “returning from vacation” as a reason for travel.
Data from arriving passenger surveys show that airport arrivals increased by more than 10% between February 22 and February 28, compared to the previous week. In total, 11,067 people arrived in the country during the period.
The data also showed that 7,261 Irish residents arrived in the country during this period, while 4,346 non-residents arrived.
Of the reasons given for traveling, ‘returning from vacation / visit’ was the most popular, followed by traveling for work or business, visiting a sick relative, medical reasons, or for a funeral.
Sinn Féin transport spokesman Darren O’Rourke has called for mandatory quarantine for all non-essential arrivals to Ireland, saying “no one has confidence that those arriving will strictly adhere” to voluntary quarantine agreements.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said essential travel is needed to maintain connectivity and for supplies, but the discretionary element “shouldn’t be happening in the middle of a pandemic.”
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Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has said mandatory quarantine legislation is expected to be signed by President Michael D. Higgins very soon.
He said the government will then act to ensure that practical arrangements are in place to have state-run hotel quarantine facilities and the Defense Forces will be involved in that.
Speaking about the same program, Coveney said that the Health Department has put out to tender the operation of hotels and transportation systems to the private sector and the Defense Forces “in its role as a civil authority it is essentially the conductor of the orchestra.”
He said the Defense Forces will run a 24/7 management center from McKee Barracks in Dublin to provide an oversight function to ensure that contract operators manage the system as agreed.
He said they will address issues as they arise and support HSE and those who operate the system.
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