Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly says he met with New Zealand's Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkin this morning to discuss mandatory quarantine.
He says the meeting focused on how New Zealand has managed its system which costs around €2,000 and is only open to citizens.
The Government has said on numerous occasions that Ireland could not go for a zero-Covid strategy like New Zealand.
A three-day lockdown in the largest city Auckland has been lifted after cases of the UK variant were detected there.
Really good meeting and discussion earlier this morning with New Zealand’s Minister for Covid-19 Response Chris Hipkins on the NZ mandatory quarantine system.
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) February 18, 2021
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Substantial amendments have been made to the Government’s draft Bill on mandatory hotel quarantines, amid fears it represented a clamp down on civil liberties.
The Irish Times reports that the proposed Bill will include penalties up to imprisonment for international arrivals from 20 “high-risk” countries who attempt to avoid compulsory detainment.
Those who flout mandatory hotel quarantine rules could face fines of up to €4,000, under the proposed legislation.
Cabinet Ministers met virtually on Wednesday evening to finalise the draft Health Amendment Bill, after discussions were adjourned at Cabinet on Tuesday to address concerns raised over the legislation.
Concern was voiced that asylum seekers, minors, or Irish citizens returning for a funeral of a close relative could have their rights adversely affected.
Debate also surrounded the reasons which would permit a person to leave their hotel room, with at least one Minister of the view that confining people to their rooms in all circumstances would be too draconian a measure and open to legal challenge.
