Unvaccinated passengers from GB to Ireland face 10 day isolation

Those who have been vaccinated will also have to isolate for five days and take a PCR test

People arriving into the Republic of Ireland from Great Britain who have not been vaccinated will have to self-isolate for 10 days under new rules.

Travellers must provide a negative PCR test result on days five and 10 before they can exit the quarantine.

The new rules were signed off by the Irish government on Tuesday and are set to effect immediately.

People who have been vaccinated must quarantine for five days.

But they will be free to resume normal activity after that period if they provide a negative PCR test.

The new rules replace existing regulations which meant anyone arriving in Ireland from Great Britain had to take a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival and had to self-isolate at home for 14 days when they got to Ireland.

The Irish government says it is looking to protect people from the more transmissible Delta variant

It comes as international travel from Ireland is set to resume from 19 July.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said the government was continuing to monitor the Delta variant of Covid-19 - the variant first discovered in India.

'Hold back Delta variant'

On Monday, Boris Johnson announced a four-week delay to the planned easing of lockdown restrictions in England on 21 June.

Easements were postponed until 19 July, with Mr Johnson saying restrictions must remain in place until then because of the rapid spread of the Delta variant.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland's reopening has "so far gone well"

"The broader picture is that the variant has increased in prevalence in the UK," said Mr Martin.

"I think it makes sense that we continue to monitor this, which we will take public health advice as we move along, but so far the reopening has gone well in Ireland."

• Where is the Indian variant and how is it spreading?

• Unvaccinated most at risk from Delta variant

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the aim of tighter restrictions in the country is to hold back the Delta variant for as long as possible while vaccination continues to increase.

Irish Education Minister Simon Harris called for a review of rules around fully-vaccinated people self-isolating after international travel.

He said it was not logical and said it should be re-examined soon.

He was speaking after his government approved a plan to get third-level students back on campus in September.

A decision on holding large lectures will be taken in July.