Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (Weds 23^rd June) called on Transport Minister Eamonn Ryan to explain why yet again, he is failing to reopen the Island to air travel. Ryanair called on Minister Ryan to clarify why when 18 other EU countries are now issuing the Digital Green Cert (and Ireland IS ready to switch it on) he has failed to do so for Ireland’s vaccinated citizens. This is just the latest example of Ireland being an outlier and lagging behind Europe’s Covid recovery – see attached latest Eurocontrol Network stats.

Ireland, an Island on the periphery of Europe, has had its connectivity destroyed by this Government’s mismanagement of the Covid-19 lockdowns and reopening. UK visitors (who are the most vaccinated in the EU) are still required to quarantine if they fly here, but they can drive across the border from Northern Ireland with no restrictions whatsoever!!

Meanwhile, Ireland has still failed to roll out the EU Digital Green Cert (which is ready to switch on today) despite the fact that 18 other EU countries are now issuing the Digital Green Cert to their vaccinated citizens. Ireland’s Transport Minister continues to delay this urgent initiative while he dithers over how to include negative PCR tests and/or citizens who have contacted Covid but have recovered.

Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson said:

“With less than 50 Covid patients in our hospitals, and less than 20 in our ICU’s, Ireland continues to delay the recovery of aviation and tourism due to the bogus and non-medical fears about a Delta variant in the UK which is not resistant to vaccines. It is time for Minister Ryan to wake up and roll out the EU Digital Cert at least for those Irish citizens who have been double vaccinated, and this can be switched on today! Negative PCR tests and Covid recoveries can be added later.

It is bizarre and inexplicable that Irish vaccinated citizens are not free to travel without restrictions to/from the EU, even when Ireland has fully vaccinated all of its vulnerable groups, and our Covid case numbers continue to dwindle to nothing, and even these declining case numbers, are occurring in the under 35 year old category who are mainly asymptomatic and don’t suffer serious illness or hospitalisations.

With less than 50 people in our hospitals and less than 20 in our ICU’s, it is time for Minister Ryan to take immediate action to open the UK Common Travel Area, and immediately switch on Ireland’s EU Digital Green Cert, as 18 other EU countries now have, well before 1^st July.”

Eurocontrol Stats