Proof of vaccine status likely to be in place for at least another year

Michael O'Donovan, of The Castle Inn, South Main Street and Chairperson Cork City & Cork County Branch Vintners Federation of Ireland, showing the Digital Covid Cert Checker App. Government minister Ossian Smyth expects the certs to remain in use for at least another year. Photo: Jim Coughlan

There will be a "continuing requirement" on people to provide proof of vaccine status for at least another year, a Government minister has indicated.

Minister of State Ossian Smyth has said the EU's Digital Covid Cert scheme is due to expire at the end of June 2022, but he expects it will be required beyond that.

"I think that there will be a continuing requirement for vaccination status, if not in Ireland, certainly to travel," he said. 

"And what we have seen with the Delta threat is that a new variant can emerge without warning which is stronger or more contagious and requires new vaccinations to deal with it. So with that in mind, I would expect the Covid certification is going to continue."

Mr Smyth said problems with the issuing of Covid certificates are being worked out and the HSE has established a "resolver group" to address any missing medical records which have prevented the issuing of a small number of certs.

"If your record is missing it is being repaired and you will be included."

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However, the Green Party minister could not provide clarity to Irish citizens who were vaccinated in Northern Ireland and who still cannot get a Covid digital certificate, despite promises that they would be entitled to use the system.

He said the digital certificate will be issued to Irish passport holders living in Northern Ireland and the UK, but could only say that this will happen "shortly".

"There are many Irish passport holders who are living in Northern Ireland, who are Irish citizens, entitled to travel with an EU passport wherever they want to go. They were vaccinated by the NHS or by the Northern Ireland health care system. We are working on a way to issue them with digital Covid certificates.

"We have been working on it for a number of months and we have issued three million certificates in a joint programme and it has been massively successful at allowing people to travel internationally. 

"Many have been able to reunite with loved ones abroad. 20,000 were able to return to work in indoor hospitality as a result. It has been an incredibly successful situation. But we will extend it to Irish passport holders in the UK," he told RTÉ radio.