Minister Donnelly welcomes booking site for Day 5 Testing
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 4 June 2021
- Last updated on: 11 April 2025
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD has today welcomed the launch of a new booking portal to encourage people arriving into Ireland to avail of a COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test.
The government continues to advise against all non-essential travel. It is a legal requirement that all travellers to Ireland must have a negative or ‘not detected’ result from a COVID-19 RT-PCR test carried out no more than 72 hours before arrival in Ireland.
In addition, it is also a legal requirement that those from non-designated countries observe 14 days of Home Quarantine. This 14 Day period of Home Quarantine can only be shortened if you receive a not-detected RT-PCR test result taken no less than five days after arrival. This test, which is free of charge and is provided in HSE test centres nationwide, can now be booked on www.gov.ie/test.
Minister Donnelly said:
"Ireland has made significant progress. Our collective response to COVID-19 and continued adherence to the public health advice has led us to this point where we can enjoy the reopening of society.
"However, we must continue to be cautious, particularly when it comes to international travel and the significant risks variants of concern pose to the excellent progress we have made.
"No one should engage in non-essential international travel. If you must travel, then you are required to follow the public health advice around hotel or home quarantine. I welcome this new portal that allows anyone book a PCR test no less than five days after arrival to Ireland. If you receive a non-detected result, you can cease your home quarantine at that point."