Publication
Mandatory hotel quarantine: Your questions answered
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
Mandatory quarantine is a key safeguard for public health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to protect public health and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and new variants of concern in Ireland.
A period of quarantine, either in a hotel or home, is required once you arrive in Ireland, other than if you are exempt. The rules which apply and where quarantine must be completed depends on your travel history – in particular whether you have been in a designated State or not – and pre-travel RT-PCR test status.
Mandatory hotel quarantine is a legal obligation for any person, except an exempt traveller, who has been in a designated State within 14 days of their arrival in Ireland. This applies to all passengers who have been in a designated State and including a person travelling from, or transiting through, designated States, regardless of nationality or residence.
Mandatory hotel quarantine is also required for any person, except an exempt traveller, who arrives in Ireland from a non-designated State but who does not have a negative ('not detected') result from an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 taken within the period of 72 hours prior to their arrival in Ireland.
It is important to note that the list of designated States is subject to change at short notice. Passengers are advised to check the list of designated States before travelling to Ireland, to be sure of their obligations.
Mandatory quarantine is a key safeguard for public health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to protect public health and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and new variants of concern in Ireland.
Mandatory hotel quarantine is a legal obligation for any person, except an exempt traveller, who:
- has been in a designated State within 14 days of their arrival in Ireland
or
- has not been in a designated State but who does not have a negative ('not detected') result from an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 taken within the period of 72 hours prior to their arrival in Ireland
The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 provides for a limited number of exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine. An exempt traveller is:
- a person arriving in the State in the course of their duty and who hold a valid Annex 3 certificate (ensuring the availability of goods and essential services)
- drivers of a heavy goods vehicle arriving in the State in the course of their duty
- airline pilots, aircrew, maritime master or maritime crew and who arrive in the State in the course of performing their duties
- a person travelling to the State pursuant to an arrest warrant, extradition proceedings or other mandatory legal obligation
- a member of An Garda Síochána or Defence Forces travelling to the State in course of their duty
- a person travelling to the State for unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive medical reasons and these reasons are certified by a registered medical practitioner or person with equivalent qualifications outside the State
- a person having been outside of the State to provide services to or perform the functions of an office holder (under any enactment or the Constitution) or a member of either house of the Oireachtas or the European Parliament
- diplomats and certain other categories of persons entitled to privileges and immunities in the State
The Minister for Health has by regulation exempted the following additional categories from mandatory hotel quarantine:
- transit passengers who do not leave the port or airport before leaving the State
- a person who has completed a full course of an EMA approved vaccine (further detail below)
- persons travelling to the State to compete in a Sports Ireland certified sports event
- an adult resident of Ireland who is accompanying a child who was not born in the State and has never previously been in Ireland, travelling for the purpose of becoming ordinarily resident in Ireland
- a person who is returning to Ireland having gone abroad for unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive medical reasons and in possession of medical certification of this
A person is exempt from mandatory quarantine if they are travelling to/from the State for “unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive” medical reasons and these reasons are certified by a registered medical practitioner or person with equivalent qualifications outside the State.
A person whose medical situation is not deemed to be unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive or who does not have appropriate medical certification is not exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine. For a person to qualify for this exemption, the medical reason for travel to the State must be all of the following:
- unavoidable: that is, not elective
- imperative: that is, urgent and essential
- time sensitive: that is, the medical condition or medical need which is the reason for travel is such that a delay in treatment would cause irreparable or very significant harm
A registered medical practitioner or person with equivalent qualifications outside the State must assess and certify the medical reasons claimed. Practitioners should bear in mind that all three conditions must be met – the reason must be unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive. Not all medical needs or treatments will meet these conditions, so it is important to consult your doctor before travelling to confirm that he or she will be able to provide the appropriate certification.
A person whose medical situation does not meet this test or who does not have appropriate medical certification is not exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine. Travellers wishing to avail of this exemption must note that both elements must be satisfied – they must have medical certification and must also be able to satisfy border control staff that their treatment was ‘unavoidable, imperative and time-sensitive’; cosmetic procedures, for example, are very unlikely to meet this standard. However, they can still, after entering mandatory hotel quarantine, request a review of their quarantine on grounds of their medical needs. Further information on the review (appeals) procedure is set out below.
If you are fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine and have the documents to prove that, you do not have to complete mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival in Ireland. Any dependents travelling with you, including children, will also be exempted from the requirement to complete mandatory hotel quarantine.
If you have a valid EU Digital COVID Certificate, you do not have to undergo Mandatory Hotel Quarantine once the certificate is based on valid full vaccination (see below table for conditions), a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival or a RT-PCR test result which proves you first tested positive for COVID-19 no more than 180 days and no less than 11 days prior to your arrival into the State.
| A full course of any one of the following vaccines | Regarded as fully vaccinated after |
| 2 doses of Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine: BNT162b2 (Comirnaty®) | 7 days |
| 2 doses of Moderna Vaccine: CX-024414 (Moderna®) | 14 days |
| 2 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine: ChAdOx1-SARS-COV-2 (Vaxzevria® or Covishield) | 15 days |
| 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Vaccine: Ad26.COV2-S [recombinant] (Janssen®) | 14 days |
Even if you are fully vaccinated, you still have to have a negative (‘not detected’) RT-PCR test for COVID-19 taken in the 72 hours before your arrival in Ireland. You must also complete a period of self-quarantine at home or in the place specified in your passenger locator form.
Attending a funeral is not included in the exemptions from mandatory hotel quarantine. While recognising this is a difficult rule for persons affected, it is deemed necessary to protect public health and in light of the need for infection prevention and control.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will ensure that any person who is subject to mandatory quarantine, but who is seeking asylum or international protection in Ireland, will complete their mandatory quarantine at an appropriate facility where they can be provided with the necessary supports.
Passengers who have transited through a designated State need to complete mandatory hotel quarantine. Any person, other than an exempted traveller, who has been in a designated State within 14 days of arrival in Ireland must enter mandatory hotel quarantine. This includes passengers travelling to Ireland who have transited through a designated State, even if they stay airside or portside during that transit.
This is necessary to protect public health. It is important to remember that States are designated only where there is known to be sustained human transmission of COVID-19 or a variant of concern, or from which there is a high risk of importation of infection or contamination with COVID-19 or any variant of concern by travel from that State.
The duration of mandatory hotel quarantine depends on why a person is required to enter quarantine; and the results of RT-PCR tests conducted in quarantine.
If you have not been in a designated State but have to enter mandatory hotel quarantine because you did not have a negative (‘not detected’) RT-PCR test result on arrival in Ireland
The period of quarantine is 10 days beginning on the day of admission to the designated facility. However, the law provides that this period of quarantine will end early, on receipt of a negative (‘not detected’) result following a RT-PCR test conducted in mandatory hotel quarantine. If you then test positive during quarantine, you will be assessed by a medical practitioner to determine if a further period of quarantine in the designated facility may be required.
If you were required to enter mandatory hotel quarantine because you have been in a designated State
The period of quarantine is 14 days, beginning on the day of admission to the designated facility (the hotel).
However, the law provides that this period of quarantine will end early, on receipt of a negative (‘not detected’) result following an RT-PCR test taken on day 10 of quarantine. If a person in these circumstances tests positive during quarantine, a further period of quarantine is required.
A person who is not exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine still has the right to seek a review of their quarantine.
The Health (Amendment) Act 2021 provides that a person in quarantine is entitled to request a review of their quarantine on a number of grounds. This appeals system is rapid (decisions are guaranteed within 24 hours) and free. All decisions are taken by independent appeals officers.
The grounds on which a request for review of quarantine may be made are set out in the Health (Amendment) Act 2021. Further information is available for any person in mandatory hotel quarantine from the State Liaison Officer at your designated facility/hotel.
| Grounds for review | Section of the Act |
| The applicant is not an ‘applicable traveller’ which means they have not been in a designated State within 14 days of arriving in Ireland and had a negative ('not detected') RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel or if they are exempt from quarantine | 38B(16)(a) |
| The applicant has completed the period of quarantine required under the Act: that is, was in a designated State within 14 days of arriving in Ireland, but since arriving in Ireland has completed the period of quarantine that is legally required. | 38B(16)(b) |
| The applicant is in quarantine because, on arrival in Ireland, did not have a negative (‘not detected’) result from an RT-PCR test taken in the 72 hours before arrival. But, since entering quarantine they have taken an RT-PCR test and the result was negative (‘not-detected’) or they have has completed the period of quarantine that is legally required under the Act or the decision of a medical practitioner that the applicant cannot isolate effectively in their place of residence was incorrect. | 38B(16)(c) |
| For medical or other exceptional reasons, including the necessity of providing care for a vulnerable person | 38B(16)(d) |
| The applicant needs to leave the designated facility for urgent humanitarian reasons | 38B(16)(e) |
| The decision of a medical practitioner that a child or dependent person should not be allowed to leave quarantine was incorrect | 38B(16)(f) |
| The applicant has completed quarantine in a room on his/her own in an equivalent quarantine facility in a non-designated State before arriving in Ireland and has not been in a designated State within the period of 10 days prior to his or her arrival in the State | 38B(16)(g) |
Any request for review should include information and documentation to support the claim being made.
The legislation does not prescribe a specific set of humanitarian reasons for which early release from quarantine may be granted. The independent appeals officers will assess each application on its own merits and taking the prevailing public health guidance into account.
If you have urgent humanitarian reasons that you wish the independent appeals officer to consider, you may submit a request for their consideration. It should be noted that the Act clearly requires the reasons claimed to be urgent and this is a factor that will be considered by the appeals officers. As with all requests for review, supporting documentation should be included with any request for review.
Decisions in relation to reviews of quarantine are taken by a panel of independent appeals officers, designated by the Minister.
Tifco Hotel Group will be responsible for ensuring designated facilities are available for the provision of mandatory hotel quarantine.
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has designated the following facilities for the purposes of mandatory hotel quarantine:
- Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport, Northwood Park, Santry, Dublin 9, D09 X9X2
- Holiday Inn Express Dublin Airport, Northwood Park, Santry, Dublin 9, D09 RY17
The hotels will not be hosting other travellers or guests while acting as a mandatory hotel quarantine facility. The facilities are for the exclusive use of those travellers completing mandatory hotel quarantine.
The costs of quarantine are established by law, as follows.
| Rate (based on standard package of 12 nights inclusive of all services) | Day Rate (for those entering from non-designated States with no pre-departure RT-PCR test) | |
| Rate for 1 Adult in 1 Room | €1875 | €150 |
| Additional Rate for 1 Adult Sharing (or child over 12) | €625 | €55 |
| Additional Rate for a Child Sharing Aged 4-12 | €360 | €30 |
| Rate for Infant (0-3) | €0 | €0 |
A citizen or a resident of Ireland who is outside the State and who cannot pay for quarantine can request:
- deferral of the charges of quarantine, and
- exemption from the charges of quarantine
For a citizen or a resident of Ireland who is outside the State, deferral of the charges of quarantine can be requested from any Irish Embassy or Consulate. See a full list of Irish embassies and consulates.
The hotel training programmes, and operating procedures have been updated in line with the HSE COVID-19 infection prevention control (IPC) guidelines.
In close consultation with the Department of Health, Tifco Hotel Group have also provided detailed procedures for their staff in checking in, checking out, facilitating outside breaks and accommodating guests in the Mandatory Hotel Quarantining System.
A State Liaison Officer (who is a member of the Defence Forces) is present at each designated facility on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week, to assist persons in quarantine. Medical assistance is also available on site at each designated facility on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week.
The designated facilities are wheelchair accessible.
Dietary needs are catered for. Menus for use in the hotels operating as designated facilities have been designed with dietary requirements in mind.
The full range of the hotel’s in-room services will be available to guests, including free WiFi, the in-room entertainment system and room service menus. The movie package available within the in-room TV entertainment system has been included as part of the accommodation package for guests quarantining at the hotel.
While meals are provided as part of the package for guests quarantining at the hotel, guests may purchase any additional food and beverages they wish from the room service menu. Deliveries to the hotel from outside suppliers are also permitted.
In the unlikely event of evacuation, the hotel’s fire/emergency evacuation systems and procedures will be followed in full. Guests will be required to maintain social distancing and wear face masks and assemble in a socially distanced manner at the fire assembly point.
The hotels will endeavour to ensure family groups can stay in family rooms or adjoining rooms. If you have any additional requirements, you should contact the hotel directly.
Special arrangements have been made for unaccompanied minors, that is, children under the age of 18.
Unaccompanied minors who arrive in to the State, having been in a designated State in the 14 days prior to arrival in Ireland are required to quarantine but are not be permitted to enter a mandatory hotel quarantine facility alone. The law provides for a number of alternatives. Either:
- a responsible adult can enter mandatory hotel quarantine with them, to provide them with care during their quarantine
or
- where this is not possible, the child may complete quarantine in another location where a member of the Garda Síochána, immigration authorities or another relevant person under the Act determines that the child can isolate effectively in their place of residence (which may include a boarding school) and a responsible adult signs a written undertaking that they will ensure the child adheres to quarantine requirement rules under their care at that location
or
- the requirement to quarantine at a designated facility is also deemed to be satisfied where an unaccompanied minor in the care of the Child and Family Agency (Túsla) can effectively isolate and completes their quarantine at facilities provided by Túsla
Where it is proposed that a responsible adult enters mandatory hotel quarantine with an unaccompanied child, the quarantine hotel should be pre-booked prior to departure. There is no need to pre-book the quarantine hotel where it is anticipated that the child will isolate at their residence or in a facility provided by Tusla the Child and Family Agency.
The safety of every person in quarantine is our priority. Medical services are available onsite at every designated facility, with nursing staff onsite and GP services available at all times. Delivery of prescription medicine can also be arranged where needed.
Every person entering mandatory hotel quarantine is offered a health check, in the form of a questionnaire, to allow them to notify any underlying conditions or medical needs they may have and which could require additional clinical support during their quarantine. Every person in mandatory hotel quarantine is also contacted regularly by the onsite healthcare provider to monitor their physical and mental wellbeing.
The safety of every person in quarantine is our priority. Medical services are available onsite at every designated facility, with nursing staff onsite and GP services available at all times. Delivery of prescription medicine can also be arranged where needed.
A person in mandatory hotel quarantine may be admitted to hospital for treatment if they have a medical emergency that cannot be dealt with at the designated facility. The medical services which are available at the facilities determine when this is appropriate and make the necessary arrangements.
It is also possible for a person in quarantine to apply for review of their quarantine on medical grounds. Requests for review are submitted to the State Liaison Officer present in each designated facility and are considered by independent appeals officers. Decisions on requests for review are provided within a 24-hour period.
Mandatory hotel quarantine is a legal obligation for any person, other than an exempted person, who has been in a designated State within 14 days of their arrival in Ireland. This is required to prevent and mitigate the risk of spread of COVID-19 and variants of concern.
The law includes an exemption from mandatory hotel quarantine for a person who travels for “an unavoidable, imperative and time sensitive medical reason”. This exemption applies only where it is certified by a registered medical practitioner or a person with an equivalent qualification outside the State.
Any person seeking to claim an exemption in this way will be required to provide documents and evidence on arrival in the State to support and prove their claim.
Medical services are available at all times in designated facilities, to ensure the health and wellbeing of every person in quarantine. Medical services are available onsite at every designated facility, with nursing staff onsite and GP services available at all times. Delivery of prescription medicine can also be arranged where needed.
A designated safe and secure space for fresh air breaks will be available at each hotel and fresh air breaks will be accommodated. For reasons of infection prevention and control, these breaks should be booked in advance. The hotel will endeavour to accommodate guests at their preferred time.
At the requested time, a Security person will knock on the guest’s door and escort them to the designated area. All outdoor areas are monitored. Security will escort guests back to their bedroom after their break.
In order to protect other guests and the hotel team, a fresh air break will only be permitted after you have received a negative RT-PCR test.
The possibilities for exercise/fresh air breaks may differ from one facility to another.
The Irish Defence Forces have been designated as the State Liaison Official (SLO) to support Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine policy.
After immigration and customs processing, regardless of whether you arrive by sea or by air, you will be met by members of the Defence Forces who will ensure you are safely and securely transported from your port of entry to the location in which you will complete your pre-booked mandatory hotel quarantine.
Staff at the facility will greet you and take you through the check in process. They will also provide you with information relating to your stay including on food choices, exercise and wellbeing.
The State Liaison Officer is available to support you from the moment you arrive in Ireland until you complete your mandatory hotel quarantine and exit the designated facility. They will be onsite 24/7 at your facility throughout your stay to liaise with the hotel service provider to ensure it is a safe, secure and comfortable experience.
Under the oversight of the Irish Defence Forces, in their capacity as State Liaison, the Tifco Hotel Group will be responsible for providing ground transportation for travellers from their port of entry to the designated facility.
Any person who is required to enter mandatory hotel quarantine and who has arrived in Ireland by vehicle via a seaport, will be required to park their vehicle at the port before being transported to the designated quarantine facility.
Assistance with onward journeys, including to return to a vehicle at a port, will be provided to a person who has completed the required period of quarantine.
Please note that drivers of a heavy good vehicle arriving in the State in the course of their duties are exempt from mandatory hotel quarantine.
Every person over the age of 12 travelling to Ireland must have a negative (‘not detected’) result from a RT-PCR test conducted within the 72 hours prior to their arrival in the State.
RT-PCR test means a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test, the purpose of which is to detect the presence of COVID-19, or the virus SARS-CoV-2, in the person to whom it is administered.
Lateral flow tests (LFT) and rapid antigen diagnostic tests (RADT), commonly referred to as antigen tests, are not sufficient for this purpose.
A person in mandatory hotel quarantine is required to take an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 within 36 hours of arrival at the designated facility; and again on the 10th day of mandatory hotel quarantine, calculated on the basis of 24-hour periods from the time of arrival at the facility.
COVID-19 testing is free of charge for all persons in mandatory hotel quarantine.
A number of criminal offences have been established in connection with mandatory hotel quarantine. It is a criminal offence if an applicable traveller:
- does not fulfil the legal requirement to present for mandatory hotel quarantine
- resists being brought to quarantine
- leaves a designated facility without authorisation
It is a criminal offence for an applicable traveller to fail to pre-book quarantine, without reasonable excuse.
It is also a criminal offence to give information to a relevant person (including immigration authorities, Gardaí or the State Liaison Officer) which is false or misleading in any respect in connection with obligations of mandatory quarantine.
A person found guilty of any of these or other relevant offences is liable for a fine of up to €2,000, imprisonment for 1 month, or both.
It is a criminal offence for an applicable traveller to leave a designated facility without authorisation. A person found guilty of this or other relevant offences is liable for a fine of up to €2,000, imprisonment for 1 month, or both.
Where an applicable traveller leaves a designated facility without authorisation, An Garda Síochána (the Irish police service) will be notified, to investigate any suspected offences and enforce these laws.
Members of the public qualifying for mandatory quarantine are advised that they should not bring pets into the country during this time. The quarantine facility will not be in a position to accommodate them. With the exception of guide dogs, pets will be placed in commercial kennels/catteries whilst the owner is in mandatory quarantine. The full cost of transport and housing during this time will be payable by the pet owner.
