AQW 17468/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 16/04/2021
Answered On Date: 20/05/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) to detail the current restrictions on travel within the Common Travel Area; and (ii) what consideration has been given to easing these restrictions.

Answer:

People should not travel in or out of Northern Ireland except where it is essential to do so.

If you are arriving into Northern Ireland from within the Common Travel Area and you plan to remain here for at least 24 hours, public health advice is that you should self-isolate upon arrival for 10 days, unless you are exempt.

Some people travelling within the Common Travel Area may be exempt from self-isolation due to the job they do. Information on sector specific exemptions is available at:

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-within-common-travel-area-sector-exemptions

An indicative date of 24 May has been set to allow individuals to travel within the Common Travel Area to visit family and friends.

This means you will not have to self-isolate for 10 days if you are arriving into Northern Ireland from within the Common Travel Area to visit family or friends, however the public health advice is to take a pre-departure Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test, and then a LFD test on day 2 and day 8 post arrival in NI.