Covid-19: Hancock rejects call for Irish travel restrictions

Matt Hancock was responding to a call from DUP MP Carla Lockhart

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has rejected a DUP call for the PSNI to restrict travel from the Republic into Northern Ireland.

He was responding to a question from the DUP's Carla Lockhart.

She had raised the issue in relation to protection against new variants of the coronavirus.

The Upper Bann MP also accused the Irish government of "shameful and irresponsible" behaviour for not sharing arrivals data with the UK.

She told the House of Commons there is "significant concern" among people in Northern Ireland that entry into the UK could continue through Dublin.

This, she said, puts people in her constituency at risk of contracting new variants of the coronavirus.

Carla Lockhart accused the Irish government of "shameful and irresponsible" behaviour for not sharing arrivals data with the UK

"If this continues, does he agree that the hard border currently being enforced by the Irish Republic restricting travel from north to south will also have to be enforced by the PSNI to stop entry into Northern Ireland from across the border to protect the UK?," she said.

But the health secretary said he "did not agree".

He added: "I want to reassure all citizens in Northern Ireland that we are working very closely with the government in Dublin to ensure that data is shared properly and both governments have an appropriate system to safeguard our borders against the challenges we face."

'Joined-up approach'

Appearing earlier on BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, Sinn Féin TD for Donegal Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said Northern Ireland and the Republic should have had a "joined-up approach" since the start of the pandemic.

He said this should have applied to "travel, schools, work, opening of pubs, restaurants and so on", and that it was not too late to implement such an approach now.

"We have had different approaches at different times which has caused confusion, divided our people, and caused resentment," he said.

Mr Mac Lochlainn said he supported introducing fines being issued to individuals from the Republic travelling to Northern Ireland for non-essential purposes.

Hotel quarantine in Republic

Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland has announced it will publish legislation on quarantine hotels next week.

RTÉ reports that Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Leo Varadkar said he did not want Ireland to be seen as a backdoor to another country.

He was speaking following remarks from Health Secretary Matt Hancock that Irish and UK residents arriving in England from 33 so-called red list countries would have to quarantine in a hotel, and would be charged £1,750.

Those who fail to quarantine in a government-sanctioned hotel face fines of up to £10,000 and those who lie on their passenger locator forms about visiting a red list country face up to 10 years in jail, Mr Hancock said.

Mr Varadkar said he believed this potential jail term "was a bit extreme".

On Tuesday, the Republic of Ireland reported 68 further deaths related to Covid-19, and an additional 556 confirmed cases.