Mandatory hotel quarantine is now in place for all travellers arriving into the Republic of Ireland from 33 countries deemed “high risk” for Covid-19 transmission.
Passengers must book and pay for a 12-night stay from a selection of dedicated hotels across the country.
The time could be reduced if someone receives a negative Covid-19 test on day 10 of quarantine.
On Thursday, Northern Ireland announced plans for “managed isolation”.
It comes as NI prepares to reopen some travel routes and would mean offering hotel accommodation for people who need to self-isolate on arrival.
In the Republic of Ireland, quarantine was made mandatory at 04:00 local time on Friday, with pre-booking necessary.
The 33 countries designated as “high risk”, making quarantine mandatory, are mainly countries in South America and Africa.
However, Austria is also on the list which is subject to change at any time.
The new rules affect any passenger who was in one of the designated “high risk” countries in the past 14 days, including those getting a connecting flight.
It also affects people who do not have a negative PCR test taken in the 72 hours prior to their arrival.
The cost of a 12-night stay is €1,875 (£1,614) for one person, €625 (£535) for another adult (or child aged over 12) sharing the room, €360 (£308) for a child aged 4 to 12, with no charge for infants.
Failure to comply could result in a fine of up to €2,000 (£1,700) or a month in prison.
The Tifco Hotel Group will be responsible for transporting people to the hotel. It will also be responsible for providing security.
The Irish Defence Forces will oversee the process, but members will escort the buses rather than drive them.
The Irish cabinet is expected to meet next week to discuss the country’s coronavirus restrictions and possible changes after 5 April.
There has been speculation that a 5km travel restriction for people living in the Republic could be increased to 10km.
(Source: BBC News, not edited by travelobiz staff)
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