'Silly row' over hotel quarantining has stopped countries being added to list, says Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly has called for a 'more collective effort' and says the party believes the list should be extended

Officials in the Departments of Health and Foreign Affairs are currently working on extending the number of countries that are subject to mandatory quarantine after France, Germany, and Italy were left off an updated list last week. Picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

The Government has been accused of getting involved in a "silly row" over hotel quarantining which has stopped countries being added to the list.

No additions to the mandatory quarantining list are expected until at least next week when the Cabinet meets.

Officials in the Departments of Health and Foreign Affairs are currently working on extending the number of countries that are subject to mandatory quarantine after France, Germany, and Italy were left off an updated list last week.

Senior officials across a number of Government departments met yesterday, however, an immediate solution is not expected and talks will continue this week.

It is understood that discussions are also ongoing with hotel provider, Tifco, to ensure enough accommodation is available to meet the demand if extra capacity is required.

Two hotels are currently being used for mandatory quarantining, and the hotel chain has another two hotels set aside if they are required. The hotel chain has more accommodation available if it is needed.

Sinn Féin accused Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael of being preoccupied with an internal spat instead of focusing on the extension of mandatory quarantining.

A row between Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney broke out last week after public health officials recommended 43 countries be added to the list.

While Mr Donnelly wanted to press ahead, it is understood Mr Coveney said he did not believe the practice should be implemented for countries where large numbers of Irish people live.

Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly called for a "more collective effort" in relation to mandatory hotel quarantine, adding that her party believes the list should be extended.

"At the moment, what we have is the distraction of the very silly political row between the two big parties in Government. It doesn't instil the type of confidence that there should be, they should be serious about mandatory hotel quarantine," Ms O'Reilly said.

Pointing to reports of delays in vaccine deliveries to surgeries, she said she was aware of one GP who received a box of leaflets instead of vaccines.

Ms O'Reilly said this has eroded the public confidence in the vaccine rollout.

"I've heard more than one commentator say that the Government are losing the dressing room and the way to get it back, is to ensure that they get the vaccine rollout right.

"The way to do that is to level with people and to just let them know exactly what the schedule is going to be and give people some idea."

She added: "We can't have situations whereby we have patients turning up to vaccination clinics who are left waiting while the GP is frantically trying to get vaccines

"The Government has placed all of our eggs in the vaccine basket, they have said the vaccine rollout is our path out of this, they have to get this right, and simply quoting the statistics, and changing the targets that's just not going to wash with people," she said.