'Too soon' for people to book flights home for Christmas, says Varadkar

Mr Varadkar told the Dáil that he would not recommend people book their flights home. Picture: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar says it is "too soon" for people to book flights home for Christmas.

Mr Varadkar told the Dáil that he would not recommend people book their flights home, despite new rules due to come into effect at the end of the month which would allow anyone to come home and cut their isolation period for five days if they receive a negative PCR test.

“In terms of people booking flights for Christmas to come home, I advise not to do that at the moment.

"We’re not in a position at this point to advise people that it’s safe to come home for Christmas. And I know that’s a tough message to hear but that is the case at the moment."

Mr Varadkar made the comments days after the Government unveiled new plans for international travellers.

The Government said that people travelling to Ireland from “red” listed regions will no longer have to restrict their movements once they receive a negative Covid-19 test after arriving in the country.

The test must be taken five days after arrival in Ireland.

The new travel rules are due to come into effect from midnight on November 29.

It had given a glimmer of hope to families hoping to be reunited at Christmas, as it limits the number of days people have to spend in self-isolation.

The government agreed the changes at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in a bid to bring Ireland in line with the EU’s traffic light system.

However, echoing recent comments by chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, Mr Varadkar warned that international travel is still a risk.

Airport testing capacity

Meanwhile, the Dáil has heard that there is no guarantee that airports will have enough Covid testing capacity to meet demands.

Speaking in the Dáil Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton said the there will only be capacity for around 150 tests a day between Cork and Dublin airports, but this will rise to around 300 tests a day by the end of the year.

Testing centres at both airports, as well as Shannon, opened today but Ms Naughton advised travellers to book an appointment for a test in advance due to the limited capacity.

It comes as the Government comes under pressure from within its own ranks to return to level 2 restrictions ahead of Christmas.

A number of Fianna Fáil members believe restrictions must be eased to allow bars and restaurants serve customers inside when the level 5 lockdown is lifted in December.

Fianna Fáil senator Malcolm Byrne said people need "hope" and the country should be put on level 2 for the Christmas period.

However, he warned that there should be a "strong emphasis on personal responsibility" and people should still limit their movements and contacts.

“I certainly think that in December, we should allow, to give people hope, to have some type of Christmas, emphasise personal responsibility but we have got to allow some level of opening up,” he said.

Mr Byrne was speaking after a number of his colleagues pushed for a move to level 2 at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on Wednesday evening.

Mr Byrne said people should be able to travel and meet their families for Christmas.

“I think something we all associate with the Christmas period is going back home and reconnecting and I certainly hope that will be the case for December 25th," he told Newstalk Breakfast.

He said a lot of people are finding the second lockdown a “bit more difficult than the first one.” "Over the Christmas period, we have also got to give people hope. People know that we have got to come through this. I would like to see a situation whereby we can see the hospitality trade – the hotels and restaurants – reopen.” This was echoed by Fianna Fáil TD Cormac Devlin who said the country should move to level 2 after in December.

Meanhwhile, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is meeting this morning to discuss the latest progress with Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said that the profile of the disease is improving but he has urged people to redouble their efforts.

On Wednesday, 362 new cases of the virus were confirmed in Ireland.

Case numbers have been falling since the introduction of the Level 5 restrictions with 866 new cases being reported two weeks previous on October 29.

Elsewhere, the number of people with Covid-19 in hospital has increased to 287 today.

It is a rise of five from yesterday's total, while 39 people are being treated in intensive care.

It comes as the estimated national 14-day incidence rate has fallen to 145.