The Irish Government has been asked to stop non-essential cross border travel to cut the spread of the Covif virus.
The request was made by the Northern Ireland Health Minister who wrote to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly as restrictions on inter-county travel here are lifted on Monday.
The move could have major implications for people in Donegal.
Robin Swann said he’s concerned that cross border interactions, for things like shopping and socialising, could fuel a fresh increase in community transmission of Covid-19 in the Republic and the North.
In a letter to Stephen Donnelly, Minister Swann said while he looks forward to a time when cross border activities can resume, “we are not there yet”.
He said clear messaging would be needed on the issue, backed up by “enforcement if required”.
RTE also report that Mr Swann also asked Stephen Donnelly and the HSE to meet with their counterparts in Northern Ireland “to consider what additional actions are required”.
He said Northern Ireland and the Republic were at “very different junctures” in relation to case numbers, vaccination progress and restrictions.
Minister Swann also said recent data from both sides of the border must be taken seriously “and elicit an appropriate and proportionate response”.
“In the present circumstances, crossing the border for non-essential shopping or socialising purposes creates an unnecessary risk of virus spread. The island, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland – and not least its border areas – has suffered too much already to allow that to happen”.
Asked if the easing of inter-county travel rules applied to Northern Ireland, a Government spokesperson here said that from Monday inter-county travel is permitted “anywhere on the island”.
