Are we there yet? Your second Travel Megathread (threadbans in OP}

07-04-2021 11:09AM

ninebeanrows wrote: »

The question I am still not too clear on is that once county travel in Dublin is allowed from 12 April, what right do the Gardai to stop people in Dublin airport? Was it not tied to the 5km?

Non essential travel is not allowed.
There never was a '5K limit'

Van.Bosch · 07-04-2021 11:09AM

ninebeanrows wrote: »

The question I am still not too clear on is that once county travel in Dublin is allowed from 12 April, what right do the Gardai to stop people in Dublin airport? Was it not tied to the 5km?

It was initially when they were stopping people outside the airport. They now stop you in the terminal, possibly under different legislation, I don’t know.

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 11:12AM

Ray Donovan wrote: »

I'm just going to give my own summer plans here and see if anyone can relate or has thoughts on it.

So like a lof of people my wife and I postponed our holiday last Summer (foolishly in hindsight) and took our vouchers from Aer Lingus. News about cases and vaccines etc etc was all very positive in November so we rebooked for late June this year for a 3 week holiday in good old Lanzo (How novel I know, but we've done serious travelling over the last number of years so we said we'd return to an old reliable)

So then Christmas happened and all that has happened in this country regarding travel restrictions since this has been a direct consequence of that so we are gone from being hopeful of travel ban being lifted to not an actual prayer of it happening in time for our trip plus the threat of MHQ.

So this has left us with a couple of options I suppose. By the way I am not even considering the option of not going because this is nearly all that is keeping me going at the moment.

So 1 - We stick to the original plan and fly from Dublin on our assigned dates. I have already booked a dental appointment for the day after we arrive so hoping to avoid the fine with that. Also I plan on having fast track through security in T1 and T2 and I would float around hoping for a time when no guard will be there and just go on through so wouldn't have to answer questions on my trip.

Or option 2 - fly from Belfast. So hopefully inter-country travel restrictions will be gone by late June so I can drive to Belfast restriction free and UK travel will be back up and running by then so no restrictions from Belfast Airport. BUT this will cost me an extra €1,000 between booking new flights and travel up the North. So my wife and I would be financially no worse off if we each got the €500 fine and flew on from Dublin as outlined in Option 1.

The 2 week quarantine AT HOME is not a problem for us when we get back but if Donnelly puts Spain on the list for MHQ then we can officially forget about going.

At the moment I am leaning towards Option 1 and taking my chances from Dublin with my dental appointment. And the unknown in all this is the EU Travel Certificate which may come to my rescue. However my wife read somewhere today that this might not be and up and running until July.

Unfortunately it's just too early to tell.We travelled last year, but it literally came down to the wire. We're booked for Italy for mid July, and I have considered booking additional flights from Belfast but held off. A lot can change in a few months. The fines could still be around, and to be honest I'd pay them if I had to, but I'd say the guards will be very uninterested by then, especially if their vaccination has not been prioritised.I would think that testing/home quarantine (with early release after a second test at 5 days) will hopefully be all that is in force. The only hitch with that is Scally is in the press bawling the last few days about variants again and trying to convince people that the doors the everything will be thrown open if we stop travel. I'd say stick with your flights for now and see what unfolds.

07-04-2021 11:15AM

I can't imagine MHQ will be an issue for citizens by then

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 11:25AM

bubblypop wrote: »

I can't imagine MHQ will be an issue for citizens by then

Do you think it'll be dropped or that we'll all have just given in to it? :pac:

josip · 07-04-2021 11:25AM

bubblypop wrote: »

I can't imagine MHQ will be an issue for citizens by then

Do you think it might still be an issue in mid July for non-Irish citizens ?

07-04-2021 11:26AM

Chuck Norris 2021 wrote: »

Do you think it'll be dropped or that we'll all have just given in to it? :pac:

I think the challenge before the courts will be upheld.
That's a purely personal opinion!

07-04-2021 11:27AM

josip wrote: »

Do you think it might still be an issue in mid July for non-Irish citizens ?

Let's hope not!

Hilzabeaatch · 07-04-2021 11:34AM

There can't be one rule for Irish citizens and a different rule for non-Irish EU citizens. For sure, EU citizens will have to be treated the same as Irish citizens. May depend on being resident though.

Tazz T · 07-04-2021 11:35AM

Dr. Em wrote: »

No, it is the other way around. The article says that the US is lifting their travel ban on people travelling from EU countries to the US. You will be able to travel to the US now. The Schengen entry ban on travellers coming from outside of the EU/EEA (US included) will still be in effect. Has anyone heard anything about it being lifted? Norway is considering extending it until November.

Ah. So from here to there only.

Although Greece is certainly aiming for a US corridor.

07-04-2021 11:38AM

ShadowTech wrote: »

Thank you for this post! I was trying to find out if there was a sunset clause and because of your post I was able to find it in the legislation itself (because I now knew what I was looking for).

I hope you're wrong about it being extended but nothing would really surprise me anymore.

Anyway, I'm still trying to find the criteria the government is using for adding/removing a country. I suppose it's in the legislation too and I'll just need time to read it all thoroughly.

Once countries are on, I think it unlikely that they will be removed for a year or two. If the justification is variant risk, then there will be no defensible argument for removing any countries until the world is vaccinated. Leo is right when he says that reversing mandatory hotel quarantine will be very difficult

07-04-2021 11:38AM

Hilzabeaatch wrote: »

There can't be one rule for Irish citizens and a different rule for non-Irish EU citizens. For sure, EU citizens will have to be treated the same as Irish citizens. May depend on being resident though.

Well, that's not particularly true. The Irish constitution is specifically for Irish citizens.
There was a case in the last few years, taken by an asylum seeker, over their right to work. Which they won. But I believe it is the first case taken by a non irish citizen in relation to the constitutionality of a law. I'm no expert though.
Ireland have every right to control their own borders, which they do.

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 11:49AM

Hilzabeaatch wrote: »

There can't be one rule for Irish citizens and a different rule for non-Irish EU citizens. For sure, EU citizens will have to be treated the same as Irish citizens. May depend on being resident though.

If anything they're more likely to have harsher rules for our own citizens. As it stands we can't leave our country!! Europe won't stand for it the other way around, whereas the curtain twitches here will be delighted.

josip · 07-04-2021 11:51AM

bubblypop wrote: »

I think the challenge before the courts will be upheld.
That's a purely personal opinion!

Fear not K-92, we won't rat on you

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 12:00PM

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/further-eu-countries-to-be-added-to-irelands-quarantine-list-1107660.html

Eamonn Ryan has joined the party now. Pretty determined to force ahead. Looks like the angry mob are getting their wish;

France, Italy and Germany could be included, with Mr Ryan saying the Government has been responding to the public’s concerns over the high rates of infections in those countries

I think it's just a case of sitting back and watching it all implode now.

Micky 32 · 07-04-2021 12:07PM

Chuck Norris 2021 wrote: »

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/further-eu-countries-to-be-added-to-irelands-quarantine-list-1107660.html

Eamonn Ryan has joined the party now. Pretty determined to force ahead. Looks like the angry mob are getting their wish;

France, Italy and Germany could be included, with Mr Ryan saying the Government has been responding to the public’s concerns over the high rates of infections in those countries

I think it's just a case of sitting back and watching it all implode now.

I bet the USA will also be added soon because they are planning to open up. Won't be long until we are completely shut off from the rest of the world.

seansouth36 · 07-04-2021 12:08PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Once countries are on, I think it unlikely that they will be removed for a year or two. If the justification is variant risk, then there will be no defensible argument for removing any countries until the world is vaccinated. Leo is right when he says that reversing mandatory hotel quarantine will be very difficult

There's no way this will be extended for a "year or two" - zero chance. The argument currently is that MHQ protects against variants "while the population are being vaccinated" - once we are vaccinated there is no reason for it. Variants don't matter when majority of population is vaccinated, unless you are saying this pandemic will behave in a different way to every other pandemic in human history.

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 12:18PM

seansouth36 wrote: »

There's no way this will be extended for a "year or two" - zero chance. The argument currently is that MHQ protects against variants "while the population are being vaccinated" - once we are vaccinated there is no reason for it. Variants don't matter when majority of population is vaccinated, unless you are saying this pandemic will behave in a different way to every other pandemic in human history.

This is a quote from one of the 'public health experts' that has been squawking the loudest about the quarantine the last few days, and is undoubtedly the one they are listening to;

“We’re in the situation now where there are variants around the world that are potentially very dangerous. Some (of the variants) can dodge the vaccine, some are much more infectious”

So I wouldn't be entirely confident that they'll relax measures in the summer. Other factors to consider, they're drooling at the thought of the tax take from 'staycations' and NPHET, Donnelly etc will not want to lose face by allowing holidays to go ahead. About all that can save us now is FG hitting back at FF in a few weeks/months to win points and cause embarrassment. Big question now is, will NI follow us or the UK, and if they open, how will the government try to shut the back door?

07-04-2021 12:21PM

Micky 32 wrote: »

I bet the USA will also be added soon because they are planning to open up. Won't be long until we are completely shut off from the rest of the world.

Yes. And to no end, because it won’t keep out any variants, due to the exemptions, UK / NI, hauliers etc

seansouth36 · 07-04-2021 12:33PM

Chuck Norris 2021 wrote: »

This is a quote from one of the 'public health experts' that has been squawking the loudest about the quarantine the last few days, and is undoubtedly the one they are listening to;

“We’re in the situation now where there are variants around the world that are potentially very dangerous. Some (of the variants) can dodge the vaccine, some are much more infectious”

So I wouldn't be entirely confident that they'll relax measures in the summer. Other factors to consider, they're drooling at the thought of the tax take from 'staycations' and NPHET, Donnelly etc will not want to lose face by allowing holidays to go ahead. About all that can save us now is FG hitting back at FF in a few weeks/months to win points and cause embarrassment. Big question now is, will NI follow us or the UK, and if they open, how will the government try to shut the back door?

Who said that? NPHET or one of the talking heads that don't make/influence policy?

There's no evidence that any of the vaccines don't work against any of the variants yet. And given that Donnelly has said MHQ is a temporary measure, surely keeping it for 2 years would be a lot more damaging politically?

And given Varadkar is already talking about relaxation of restrictions and given the current speed of the vaccine roll-out, we are very close to the end.

Again, no pandemic has ever lasted for four years (with or without vaccines) and we have some of the most effective vaccines ever produced. Catastrophic thinking makes no sense here; no matter how incompetent or ineffectual our government is, there's no way that MHQ lasts another two years.

Chuck Norris 2021 · 07-04-2021 12:40PM

seansouth36 wrote: »

Who said that? NPHET or one of the talking heads that don't make/influence policy?

There's no evidence that any of the vaccines don't work against any of the variants yet. And given that Donnelly has said MHQ is a temporary measure, surely keeping it for 2 years would be a lot more damaging politically?

And given Varadkar is already talking about relaxation of restrictions and given the current speed of the vaccine roll-out, we are very close to the end.

Again, no pandemic has ever lasted for four years (with or without vaccines) and we have some of the most effective vaccines ever produced. Catastrophic thinking makes no sense here; no matter how incompetent or ineffectual our government is, there's no way that MHQ lasts another two years.

That came from Dr Gabriel Scally. He's been in the press constantly with the last few days forcing his views on MHQ. He's a professor of public health in Bristol, yet the UK press and government never refer to him....

100% agree with you that this won't go on years, but I'm just concerned about it going on into Summer. Given this obsession of extending things until just after regular holiday dates. Apologies if it came across as overly pessimistic.

As for Leo's talk of relaxation, I think he means two people can have a coffee 30m apart wearing hazmat suits on the first Tuesday of every month after August provided they have been vaccinated. They must then restict their movements for 14 days.

Gael23 · 07-04-2021 12:43PM

Putting the US on the list would do untold political damage. Doubt they will risk that

faceman · 07-04-2021 12:45PM

Chuck Norris 2021 wrote: »

That came from Dr Gabriel Scally. He's been in the press constantly with the last few days forcing his views on MHQ. He's a professor of public health in Bristol, yet the UK press and government never refer to him....

100% agree with you that this won't go on years, but I'm just concerned about it going on into Summer. Given this obsession of extending things until just after regular holiday dates. Apologies if it came across as overly pessimistic.

As for Leo's talk of relaxation, I think he means two people can have a coffee 30m apart wearing hazmat suits on the first Tuesday of every month after August provided they have been vaccinated. They must then restict their movements for 14 days.

While he may hold unpopular views on travel for many in this thread, Scally is very well respected. He is listened to.

Gael23 · 07-04-2021 12:49PM

Where in Terminal 1 are the Gardai set up?

faceman · 07-04-2021 12:51PM

Gael23 wrote: »

Where in Terminal 1 are the Gardai set up?

Just before security

07-04-2021 01:01PM

Gael23 wrote: »

Would you miss them by going through the fast track channel? I’d be going through at 6am anyway so doubt they would be set up that early

Why don't you just tell them your essential reason for travel?

Gael23 · 07-04-2021 01:08PM

bubblypop wrote: »

Why don't you just tell them your essential reason for travel?

Is that I’m vaccinated and I want to start living my life again a reason?

07-04-2021 01:09PM

Gael23 wrote: »

Is that I’m vaccinated and I want to start living my life again a reason?

You could chance it

Van.Bosch · 07-04-2021 01:12PM

Gael23 wrote: »

Is that I’m vaccinated and I want to start living my life again a reason?

Is there anywhere worth going at the moment? Ignoring the rights and wrongs?

Gael23 · 07-04-2021 01:12PM

bubblypop wrote: »

You could chance it

Is there a list of essential reasons that are better?

Are we there yet? Your second Travel Megathread (threadbans in OP}

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