No plans for Covid vaccine passports, Government says 

The potential use of vaccine passports was discussed in a video conference by Micheál Martin and other European Union leaders. Picture: Brian Lawless

Ireland is not currently looking at the introduction of vaccine passports and will continue to follow advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

That's according to a Government spokesperson, who said that “WHO and ECDC have advised against the introduction of vaccine passports at this time.” 

It comes as the potential for vaccine passports was discussed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and other European Union leaders during a video conference earlier today that aimed to coordinate the response to the pandemic.

Greek and Israeli initiative

As well as vaccine passports, it is understood that leaders also discussed the vaccine rollout, border closures, and the flow of goods between countries.

It is understood that a number of Mediterranean countries, which would be heavily reliant on tourism, particularly during the summer months, were in favour of the vaccine passport system.

Greece has already put together a travel agreement with Israel, with a trial run allowing citizens of each country who have been vaccinated to travel freely, without restrictions, and is reportedly in similar talks with the UK.

ITAA support safe passporting 

Northern countries, such as Ireland, France, and Germany, have taken a more hesitant approach, as they raise concerns about new emerging variants of the virus.

Pat Dawson, CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA), says he would support the idea of vaccine passports, as long as nobody’s rights were impacted, and it is done safely.

“Once it’s all clear, legally, and doesn’t infringe on anyone’s rights, I would be all for it," he said. Because the traffic lights that they had last year was a mess and never worked."

International tourism vital 

Mr Dawson, who is also on the board of the European federation of travel agents and tour operators, says they have been looking at something along the lines of a “European passport”, so that “EU countries are all singing off the same hymn sheet".  

He explained that it is not just countries in the Mediterranean that rely on foreign tourism, saying that overseas visitors account for around 80% of our tourism industry, with the other 20% coming from “staycations".  

In 2019, tourism was worth an estimated €9.3 billion to the Irish economy. 

Mr Dawson said they would hope to see tourists coming and going from Ireland by the end of the season, which would be September.