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Ryanair Holdings chief executive Michael O’Leary argued the Republic should be following the lead of Spain, France, Italy and other holiday destinations by lifting restrictions on visitors from next month. Photograph: Getty Images

Ryanair calls on State to end ‘ineffective’ quarantine for overseas travellers

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Ryanair is calling on the Government to end the Republic’s “ineffective” coronavirus quarantine on overseas travellers.

The Government wants those arriving in the Republic from everywhere bar the UK to quarantine for 14 days as a safeguard against the disease. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair Holdings chief executive, called on Wednesday for an end to the rule, accusing the Government of locking the Republic down further.

The airline noted that, while countries hard hit by the virus such as Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal, were lifting such rules from July 1st, the Republic was going in the opposite direction, imposing an ineffective quarantine that could not be policed.

‘Fantastic job’

Ryanair’s statement pointed out that the rule made no sense as it did not apply to the UK, the Republic’s nearest neighbour and the European country with the highest rate of Covid-19 cases and deaths.

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Mr O’Leary maintained that the Government and Irish people had done a “fantastic job” in combating the virus over the past 10 weeks.

“This impressive record by our Government and health services is not reflected in our overly stringent lockdown measures,” he said. “It makes little sense for Ireland to be locking down further at a time when most other EU countries are opening up.”

He argued the Republic should be following the lead of Spain, France, Italy and other holiday destinations by lifting restrictions on visitors from next month.

According to a table published by Ryanair, the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University now ranks the Republic as having the toughest lockdown among the 27 EU states.

Stringent lockdown

Mr O’Leary claimed it was unfair that the Republic was applying the most stringent lockdown while countries that had performed far worse were lifting restrictions.

“Ryanair calls on the Irish Government to accelerate our exit from lockdown and scrap their ineffective travel quarantine from the end of June,” he said.

“Ireland has been one of the best EU countries in tackling and defeating the Covid-19 virus, and our people should not be penalised by having the most stringent EU lockdown restrictions, which are unnecessary given Ireland’s impressive Covid-19 record.”