Gardaí locate two of three people who absconded from Dublin quarantine hotel

The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry, Co Dublin. One of the Department of Health's designated mandatory quarantine facilities. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Two of three people who reportedly left mandatory hotel quarantine in Dublin yesterday have been located.

A Garda search for the other missing person is ongoing. 

The trio had absconded from the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry, Co Dublin. 

People arriving in from a list of 33 "high-risk" countries are now required to complete a 14-day isolation period.

The first people subject to the new rules were those arriving on flights into Dublin Airport from 4am yesterday.

Countries on the list include Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe.

The Department of Health has said it is a criminal offence if a person does not fulfil the requirement for mandatory quarantine. 

Those who break quarantine face fines of up to €2,000, risk a month's imprisonment, or both. 

A Department of Health spokeswoman said that, as of Saturday morning, there were 55 bookings for March, 38 for April, and six for May.

The Department said it would not provide information on the people who absconded yesterday "in the interests of protecting confidentiality".

A statement from An Garda Síochána said they are liaising with the State Liason Officer at the quarantine facility where the breaches are thought to have occurred. 

"An Garda Síochána are this afternoon liaising with the State Laison Officer at a designated quarantine facility in the Dublin area, in accordance with current protocols. 

"As the Department of Health are the lead agency in relation to the management of mandatory quarantining, An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time," the statement said. 

Commenting this evening on the ongoing search, Antoinette Cunningham, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) highlighted the risk posed to the gardaí taking part in the search. 

In a social media post, Ms Cunningham said gardaí who are not vaccinated are searching for people who have absconded from mandatory hotel quarantine because they have arrived from a high-risk Covid-19 location. 

The AGSI has been pushing for members of An Garda Síochána to be moved further up the vaccination priority list. 

The booking portal for mandatory hotel quarantining went live on the Government website earlier this week.

Travellers are required to pre-book accommodation in a designated quarantine facility and to pre-pay for their stay.

The cost per adult traveller for a 12-night stay inclusive of all services is €1,875.

The Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport Hotel in Santry was the first hotel to begin receiving quarantining travellers.