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

mmclo · 29-04-2021 06:37PM

Dublin to Brussels today via Amsterdam. All grand, no Gardaí and only checks on PCR & Antigen by airline and airport people. Bar cursory border control no state authority interacted me at all. Gardaí were at Airport yesterday afternoon when I went to Randox. Effectively tests were all that mattered. There are self quarantine requirements in both countries but Dutch don't even look for address.

Worst situation vis a viz Covid was Thalys train, they don't seem to mind packing people in!

Won't be back until fully vaccinated

Van.Bosch · 29-04-2021 06:47PM

mmclo wrote: »

Dublin to Brussels today via Amsterdam. All grand, no Gardaí and only checks on PCR & Antigen by airline and airport people. Bar cursory border control no state authority interacted me at all. Gardaí were at Airport yesterday afternoon when I went to Randox. Effectively tests were all that mattered. There are self quarantine requirements in both countries but Dutch don't even look for address.

Worst situation vis a viz Covid was Thalys train, they don't seem to mind packing people in!

Won't be back until fully vaccinated

Many on the flight? Curious to see the volumes travelling

Ray Donovan · 29-04-2021 07:25PM

Feria40 wrote: »

I don't get you tbh...

Isn't the travel cert vaccine or negative PCR as I have said (or proof of prior infection in last 6 months)

Introduced for June yet you are not predicting travel until August

Feria40 · 29-04-2021 07:35PM

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Introduced for June yet you are not predicting travel until August

Yeah but Donnelly and Co. will pull the arse out of it with any available implementation period.

Just IMO

Jack1985 · 29-04-2021 07:41PM

Feria40 wrote: »

Yeah but Donnelly and Co. will pull the arse out of it with any available implementation period.

Just IMO

The implementation period ends 6 weeks after being signed into law, they can't delay as they have been allocated funds for the process to ensure its introduction. If they were to delay, it would be a major issue with Europe as above they are in receipt of funds to ensure on-time introduction.

You'll be travelling in Europe from early July.

29-04-2021 07:43PM

Jack1985 wrote: »

The implementation period ends 6 weeks after being signed into law, they can't delay as they have been allocated funds for the process to ensure its introduction. If they were to delay, it would be a major issue with Europe as above they are in receipt of funds to ensure on-time introduction.

You'll be travelling in Europe from early July.

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Introduced for June yet you are not predicting travel until August

They can still have their own restrictions as confirmed today and as pointed out before, Ireland has sole control over it's own health affairs

"Initially, the plan is for EU citizens and residents in the bloc to be able to use the certificate to avoid quarantine, testing and other obstacles to intra-EU travel that have sprung up since the start of the pandemic.

Member states, however, want to retain the option of those measures if they deem them necessary, pointing out that public health issues are their responsibility, not Brussels"

(https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2021/0429/1212774-coronavirus-travel-passports/)

So really, Ireland could say "yeah Grand were in BUT you still need to do x, y and z"

It's also not an agreed item, it's still being negotiated. Posts here would have you believe it's done and dusted

Feria40 · 29-04-2021 07:52PM

Jack1985 wrote: »

The implementation period ends 6 weeks after being signed into law, they can't delay as they have been allocated funds for the process to ensure its introduction. If they were to delay, it would be a major issue with Europe as above they are in receipt of funds to ensure on-time introduction.

You'll be travelling in Europe from early July.

I really hope your right but as pointed out by others the gov will still retain some control.

Between keeping NPHET onside on the one hand and trying to force us to spend domestically on the other, I just personally think they will do their best to drag things out. I've already had a quick look at booking.com for an Atlantic Way hotel break, F me the prices are ridiculous.

Our family is half Irish and half polish so trust me, I want the EU Covid Cert implemented immediately here :pac:

Jack1985 · 29-04-2021 08:00PM

Feria40 wrote: »

I really hope your right but as pointed out by others the gov will still retain some control.

Between keeping NPHET onside on the one hand and trying to force us to spend domestically on the other, I just personally think they will do their best to drag things out. I've already had a quick look at booking.com for an Atlantic Way hotel break, F me the prices are ridiculous.

Our family is half Irish and half polish so trust me, I want the EU Covid Cert implemented immediately here :pac:

I hear you! I've 3 holidays booked and I'm ecstatic at getting of this Island.

The Minister for Health tweeted this evening, he welcomed the approval of the EU Parliament of the Digital Green Certificate and wanted all member states to conclude discussions as quickly as possible. Europe needs this done it couldn't be clearer.

titan18 · 29-04-2021 08:02PM

Feria40 wrote: »

I really hope your right but as pointed out by others the gov will still retain some control.

Between keeping NPHET onside on the one hand and trying to force us to spend domestically on the other, I just personally think they will do their best to drag things out. I've already had a quick look at booking.com for an Atlantic Way hotel break, F me the prices are ridiculous.

Our family is half Irish and half polish so trust me, I want the EU Covid Cert implemented immediately here :pac:

Ya, I've a mobile home in Kerry thankfully so can spend the summer there if needed but wouldnt be bothered booking anything here otherwise. Save my money for travel which will hopefully be in a good place come August and September.

mmclo · 29-04-2021 08:04PM

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Many on the flight? Curious to see the volumes travelling

20ish and it must be one of the busier ones with Brussels cancelled and good connections. Schipol busy airside though and Thalys 3/4 full

Donald Trump · 29-04-2021 08:07PM

Ray Donovan wrote: »

That’s some total BS there. We all know, including yourself that the people in MHQ who have tested positive for C19 are the people who entered the state with NO PCR test and were shipped to MHQ as a result.

Calls my link to the Irish Times story BS............ Proceeds to pull "facts" out of where the sun don't shine :pac: Do you have a source for your assertion?

What happened to travellers being safer in other countries than going to the shops in Ireland? Sure was that "fact" also not posted many times earlier in the thread?

3% of all people in MHQ test positive. Pull another stat out there to tell us how many people are in for not having a PCR test rather than coming from a "red-list" country? 50%? If it is 50% sure then that is a positivity rate of 6% for that "random" subsample. Given that none of the other half have it. Well in your imaginary world!

eltonyio · 29-04-2021 08:12PM

It's highly unlikely there will be a strong political will to keep mandatory hotel quarantine much longer. It can't be much of a vote winner as hospitalizations and deaths rapidly decline in the coming months and a trans European system emerges.

If it was that important as a public health meaure, surely India would have been added after all the noise. I still don't see it on the list or when it will be added. Perhaps it is though, and I've missed it, or the site isn't updated.

MHQ has approx 3% positive rate, which likely includes those who arrived without pcr test results. Probably also includes some cases contracted in quarantine. The millions invested in it have stopped a grand total of
...54 positive cases (vs c14,000 cases in the same period in the general public).

Meanwhile a walk in asymptomatic tests in Wicklow were 6%+...

A good news day overall though, with the end surely in sight soon now.

Wallander · 29-04-2021 08:25PM

Some very encouraging words from the European parliament today it seems:

No additional travel restrictions and free COVID-19 tests

Holders of an EU COVID-19 certificate should not be subject to additional travel restrictions, such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing, according to the Parliament. MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210422IPR02606/eu-covid-19-certificate-must-facilitate-free-movement-without-discrimination

Donald Trump · 29-04-2021 08:27PM

eltonyio wrote: »

It's highly unlikely there will be a strong political will to keep mandatory hotel quarantine much longer. It can't be much of a vote winner as hospitalizations and deaths rapidly decline in the coming months and a trans European system emerges.

If it was that important as a public health meaure, surely India would have been added after all the noise. I still don't see it on the list or when it will be added. Perhaps it is though, and I've missed it, or the site isn't updated.

MHQ has approx 3% positive rate, which likely includes those who arrived without pcr test results. Probably also includes some cases contracted in quarantine. The millions invested in it have stopped a grand total of
...54 positive cases (vs c14,000 cases in the same period in the general public).

Meanwhile a walk in asymptomatic tests in Wicklow were 6%+...

A good news day overall though, with the end surely in sight soon now.

Well all that depends on how many of your walk-ins are actually asymptomatic. You are free to believe that all those people are 100% asymptomatic. I think that that would be a little bit gullible. Anecdotal evidence is that many people going to them actually have some minor symptoms. Whereas the actual regular tests - where they follow up with close contacts etc. are below 3%.

As to your other point, MHQ only stopped 54 cases if you believe that the exact same set, and number, of people would have travelled here during that period if there was no MHQ. Again you are free to believe that if you want. Most people would not think that that is any way likely or plausible

Del Griffith · 29-04-2021 08:39PM

Wallander wrote: »

Some very encouraging words from the European parliament today it seems:

No additional travel restrictions and free COVID-19 tests

Holders of an EU COVID-19 certificate should not be subject to additional travel restrictions, such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing, according to the Parliament. MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210422IPR02606/eu-covid-19-certificate-must-facilitate-free-movement-without-discrimination

Free testing, another barrier to travel will be removed if the EU get their way. Nice one.

29-04-2021 08:41PM

Wallander wrote: »

Some very encouraging words from the European parliament today it seems:

No additional travel restrictions and free COVID-19 tests

Holders of an EU COVID-19 certificate should not be subject to additional travel restrictions, such as quarantine, self-isolation or testing, according to the Parliament. MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210422IPR02606/eu-covid-19-certificate-must-facilitate-free-movement-without-discrimination

Christ. Almighty.

They have no authority. This is just a suggestion. Ireland can completely ignore it.

There's not way tests will be free for starters

"Initially, the plan is for EU citizens and residents in the bloc to be able to use the certificate to avoid quarantine, testing and other obstacles to intra-EU travel that have sprung up since the start of the pandemic.

Member states, however, want to retain the option of those measures if they deem them necessary, pointing out that public health issues are their responsibility, not Brussels"

(https://www.rte.ie/new...s-travel-passports/)

Corholio · 29-04-2021 09:05PM

While Ireland can have certain control of restrictions, I don't think they'd have totally free reign without some EU watching going on. As has been said, it hasn't been fully sorted both ways.

josip · 29-04-2021 09:11PM

In their replies to the submissions about MHQ, the EU effectively said that MHQ was not disproportionate considering the internal restrictions on movement currently in place.

When Ireland allow inter country travel, it will be much tougher to justify a disproportionate restriction for people entering the country, at least from the EU.

Happydays2020 · 29-04-2021 09:16PM

josip wrote: »

In their replies to the submissions about MHQ, the EU effectively said that MHQ was not disproportionate considering the internal restrictions on movement currently in place.

When Ireland allow inter country travel, it will be much tougher to justify a disproportionate restriction for people entering the country, at least from the EU.

I said that a long time ago but others referred to the exercise limit. Our restrictions could only apply intra EU when there were domestic restrictions. Inter county means intra EU.

Donald Trump · 29-04-2021 09:31PM

Happydays2020 wrote: »

I said that a long time ago but others referred to the exercise limit. Our restrictions could only apply intra EU when there were domestic restrictions. Inter county means intra EU.

The exercise limit was 5k.

The restriction was against leaving your place of residence for any non-essential reason.

The reason for the blurring is that, if stopped within 5km of your house, you could always use the excuse of "exercising". So you were more or less immune from getting "caught" or told off once you were within that limit. But the official restriction was on leaving your house.

sy_flembeck · 29-04-2021 09:40PM

M_Murphy57 wrote: »

RTE/Leo: *frantically muddying the waters* These VACCINE PASSPORTS sure are a fraught area! We will need to debate it. Are they discriminatory? Let's drag our heels while we figure it out.

He asks. On the same day they announce 'bonuses' only for vaccinated people

Feria40 · 29-04-2021 09:50PM

sy_flembeck wrote: »

He asks. On the same day they announce 'bonuses' only for vaccinated people

Mud in the water alright.

I mean Jesus it's front and centre that a vacination is not required in order to get a green cert which Leo well knows.

How he can then ask if they are discriminatory is really taking the pi$$.

My only guess is that they want as many people as possible to book staycations over the next few weeks and spend money here.

Once the mad staycation booking rush is out of the way, I expect they will come clean on the Green Cert.

Edit. Anyone else watching Prime Time? Did Leo just say that he wanted the new EU digital pass implemented by June 26?!

Edit. Sorry for the edits but he has also suggested that the first step would be reopening the Common Travel Area with the UK (did it ever really close??). Surely as soon as that happens it's game on

sy_flembeck · 29-04-2021 10:05PM

Feria40 wrote: »

Mud in the water alright.

I mean Jesus it's front and centre that a vacination is not required in order to get a green cert which Leo well knows.

How he can then ask if they are discriminatory is really taking the pi$$.

My only guess is that they want as many people as possible to book staycations over the next few weeks and spend money here.

Once the mad staycation booking rush is out of the way, I expect they will come clean on the Green Cert.

Edit. Anyone else watching Prime Time? Did Leo just say that he wanted the new EU digital pass implemented by June 26!?

That's precisely it, no doubt. A lot of folk won't dig for the details and will swallow whatever guff these people tell them - more fool them.

I didn't see Prime Time but I would believe what you say without doing so. The lack of any sincerity from these people is staggering.

Thankfully the game is up for them regarding international travel and they know it. Making idiotic announcements about green certs over which they have no control either way..... I dunno

titan18 · 29-04-2021 10:15PM

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Christ. Almighty.

They have no authority. This is just a suggestion. Ireland can completely ignore it.

There's not way tests will be free for starters

"Initially, the plan is for EU citizens and residents in the bloc to be able to use the certificate to avoid quarantine, testing and other obstacles to intra-EU travel that have sprung up since the start of the pandemic.

Member states, however, want to retain the option of those measures if they deem them necessary, pointing out that public health issues are their responsibility, not Brussels"

(https://www.rte.ie/new...s-travel-passports/)

Depends on how many member states and who on what pressure will be put on. If we're the only one putting in measures to hinder travel, we'll be told to feck off.

Blut2 · 29-04-2021 10:52PM

josip wrote: »

In their replies to the submissions about MHQ, the EU effectively said that MHQ was not disproportionate considering the internal restrictions on movement currently in place.

When Ireland allow inter country travel, it will be much tougher to justify a disproportionate restriction for people entering the country, at least from the EU.

I'll be very curious to hear the EU's take on that now. Didn't a couple of people in the thread email them and get the response about internal restrictions justifying it?

Feria40 · 29-04-2021 11:15PM

Blut2 wrote: »

I'll be very curious to hear the EU's take on that now. Didn't a couple of people in the thread email them and get the response about internal restrictions justifying it?

Yes I got one of those emails. Free movement of people within the country could change things alright

M_Murphy57 · 30-04-2021 05:06AM

Feria40 wrote: »

Mud in the water alright.

I mean Jesus it's front and centre that a vacination is not required in order to get a green cert which Leo well knows.

How he can then ask if they are discriminatory is really taking the pi$$.

My only guess is that they want as many people as possible to book staycations over the next few weeks and spend money here.

Once the mad staycation booking rush is out of the way, I expect they will come clean on the Green Cert.

Edit. Anyone else watching Prime Time? Did Leo just say that he wanted the new EU digital pass implemented by June 26?!

Edit. Sorry for the edits but he has also suggested that the first step would be reopening the Common Travel Area with the UK (did it ever really close??). Surely as soon as that happens it's game on

It was closed at our end with mandatory testing, never at theirs. Hence the amount of people eyeing Belfast airport. I hope hes seeing sense that the current restriction just put money in the pockets of Belfast airport and its carriers, it wont actually stop people determined to travel now intercounty is lifting.

beggars_bush · 30-04-2021 05:57AM

M_Murphy57 wrote: »

It was closed at our end with mandatory testing, never at theirs. Hence the amount of people eyeing Belfast airport. I hope hes seeing sense that the current restriction just put money in the pockets of Belfast airport and its carriers, it wont actually stop people determined to travel now intercounty is lifting.

It'll stop the vast majority

themacattack. · 30-04-2021 07:17AM

if someone wanted to go for a weeks holiday somewhere in the uk such as london as rules stand now could they drive from dublin to belfast...fly belfast to london and back again...drive back down to dublin...without any test,letter for essential travel ect ect....is that correct? i think it is but just to be sure ...asking for a friend

M_Murphy57 · 30-04-2021 07:24AM

themacattack. wrote: »

if someone wanted to go for a weeks holiday somewhere in the uk such as london as rules stand now could they drive from dublin to belfast...fly belfast to london and back again...drive back down to dublin...without any test,letter for essential travel ect ect....is that correct? i think it is but just to be sure ...asking for a friend

Yes. Unrestricted intercounty travel from may 10th, fly Belfast to to UK and back. no PCR test required either way as its CTA , no fine for travel or MHQ as inter UK legal in that jurisdiction.

As opposed to flying from Dublin where you risk a 2k fine for non essential travel, and a £100 PCR test on return which if you fail or fail to produce you spend another 2k going to hotel prison for 2 weeks.

Travel via Belfast to UK post may 10th is legal and hassle free. Plenty of people will be taking it up, myself included.

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

Comments