The Foreign Affairs Minister has said people shouldn't be booking holidays abroad for this summer - but a 'gradual change' to the current approach to international travel is likely over the summer months.
For now, the Government is set to continue prioitising public health over economic arguments when it comes to aviation.
Simon Coveney believes staycations will be allowed and prove popular this year, but international travel will not return as fast.
He said: "What that means is continuing to prioritise public health over everything else.
"Even with that, I do think over the summer months we will see a gradual change in relation to the approach on international travel.
"But I certainly wouldn't be advising anybody to be booking holidays - that's very much contrary to the current advice that we're providing."
Minister Coveney also said Government will await NPHET advice on whether to add India to the mandatory hotel quarantine list.
However, he said wouldn’t be surprised if they do that.
It comes after it was confirmed earlier this week that three cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in India have been detected in Ireland.
It has not yet been designated a ‘variant of concern’ by Irish officials, with Deputy CMO Dr Ronan Glynn saying they still don’t know whether the variant will be problematic.
