24 EU States Now Issue Covid Certs But Ireland Will Delay Another 19 Days – At Least

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline today (1 Jul) calls on Transport Minister Eamonn Ryan to explain why Ireland hasn’t issued any Digital Covid Certs, while 24 other EU countries started issuing Covid Certs in June, which come into force from today, 1^st July.

This ongoing mismanagement by the Irish Govt. will result in Ireland losing even more connectivity with its European neighbours as the Irish Govt. fails to progress Ireland’s post-Covid recovery (see maps attached);

• EU Covid Certs delayed until 19^th July blocking over 1.5m fully vaccinated Irish adults from traveling freely – despite 24 other EU countries already issuing their Digital Covid Certs in June.
• Antigen testing not accepted for travel to/from Ireland while most other EU countries allow Antigen testing.
• No Covid-19 data has been supplied by the Dept. of Health to ECDC (European Centre for Disease Control) for weeks now – portraying Ireland as a forgotten nation on the periphery of Europe.
• Indoor dining still banned – yet it is allowed in every other country in Europe – leaving Irish Tourism at a huge disadvantage and the laughing stock of European tourism.

With less than 45 people in hospitals and less than 15 in ICU’s, it is time for the Irish Govt. to stop dithering and take immediate action. Minister Ryan must start by confirming that vaccinated Irish citizens can access their Digital Covid Certs today (1^st July) so that fully vaccinated Irish citizens have the same opportunities to travel freely within the EU this summer. Why can fully vaccinated EU citizens have freedom of movement while Irish citizens continue to be locked up by NPHET’s absurd over caution about a Delta variant in the UK?

Ryanair’s CEO Eddie Wilson said:

“The Irish Govt. is doing untold damage to our economy and tourism infrastructure as our reopening plans lag way behind every other country in Europe. With over 1.5m Irish adults fully vaccinated, less than 45 Covid patients in hospital and less than 15 in ICU’s – there is no justification for any further delays. Ireland continues to be locked down because of a scariant variant in a different country (the UK). Case rates in Ireland are very low. Ireland continues to be the outlier in Europe, to the point where even the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) no longer receives any data on testing or positivity rates from NPHET or the Department of Health. Why not?

Digital Covid Certs launch today, with over 24 EU countries already implementing the system since June and allowing their citizens to travel freely this summer. Why is Ireland late at every single turn compared to our European neighbours? Rapid antigen testing is readily accepted across Europe, making it easier for families to travel this summer, but NPHET continues to ignore this data and rejects their use without reasonable justification.

Ryanair calls on Minister Ryan and the Irish Govt. to proceed immediately with its reopening plans, switch on the Digital Covid Cert today for all vaccinated (1.5m) Irish citizens and allow our people travel freely this summer so that our tourism and hospitality can recover from NPHET’s mistakes and mismanagement”.