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THE DUP HAVE said there is “value in exploring” a two-island approach by Ireland and the UK to international travel as part of the pandemic response.
The party’s leader in Westminster, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, said there was a lot of scope for cooperation in the Common Travel Area that operates between the two islands.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said last week that preliminary discussions on such an approach have begun with the UK government.
Asked about an approach that would encompass England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, Donaldson said: “I think there is value in exploring that, yes.”
He told Newstalk’s On The Record with Gavan Reilly: “As I’ve said it needs to be done on a United Kingdom and Common Travel Area basis.”
“I think there is a lot of scope for cooperation on the whole question of the Common Travel Area,” Donaldson said.
“Certainly, in terms of international visitors coming in to the Common Travel Area, there is scope for greater cooperation,” he said.
The UK has recently announced strict new mandatory hotel quarantine measures for passengers arriving from 33 “red list” countries.
Penalties of up to £10,0000 or 10 years in prison have been introduced for those who try to conceal that they are travelling from a red list country.
Ireland has announced its own list of 20 red list countries but has swerved such severe penalties for non-compliance.
At a press conference last week, Varadkar backed a two-island approach.
“The best thing I think we can do is try to coordinate,” Varadkar said.
“Because if Northern Ireland is a back door to the Republic of Ireland, Ireland is a backdoor to Britain and to England,” he said.
“The best thing we can do is work together on this, and I’m a strong advocate of the two-islands strategy, Britain and Ireland, as much as we can, aligning and working together.”
Donaldson criticised the Irish government’s failure to share data with the Executive on passengers arriving into the Republic, who may be travelling on to Northern Ireland.
He said: “With respect, it’s not just about Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.”
“It’s about the United Kingdom as a whole, and the Republic of Ireland, because we know at the moment there are difficulties, for example in data sharing, which normally happens under the Common Travel Area,” Donaldson said.
“The northern Executive has been waiting for over 10 months for the Irish government to agree to share data on people who have entered the Republic of Ireland, through ports or airports, and are traveling on into Northern Ireland,” he said.
“So with the greatest of respect, the difficulty here is not Unionists in the Northern Ireland Executive.
“I suggest you ask the relevant Irish government minister, why over 10 months later, on foot of a request from the Northern Ireland Executive for the sharing of data, we are still waiting for the Irish government to approve that request.”
A further 176 individuals in Northern Ireland tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours.
A further 11 deaths have also been reported. One of the deaths took place outside the reporting period.
It brings the total number of deaths linked to the virus in Northern Ireland to 1,996.
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They will do anything to stop the inevitable.
@Bill Clay: let them talk. There’ll be no one on the other end of the Zoom call..
I am exhausted hearing about this “two island” approach, it’s been nearly a year lads, SF have been saying this for the longest time
@Ally Mc Culladgh: been some craic going 2 island a year ago with Borris, Cummings and their herd immunity. If the DUP removed the scales from their eyes it’s obvious that we sound be having an all ireland approach. But they’d sooner resign than consider that
@Ally Mc Culladgh: exactly Ally. Just as well we don’t have a pandemic on and variants popping up all over the place. Sure the boys have been busy anyway thinking about their shamrock trip. Maybe they’ll look into this 2 island thing now Joe told them he didn’t want a bit of them.
@Marc Johns: ya cause its all our governments fault, if only they wanted an all-Ireland approach from the start, oh wait they did. So the DUP couldn’t agree one island approach and know want a 2 island approach but your right it’s all our governments fault, bold boys.
@Ally Mc Culladgh: There can be no two island approach on travel without having a two island approach on covid, including vaccination
@Ally Mc Culladgh: so SF think we should follow the UK rules – that is the two island approach, ie Ireland and the UK would have the same policy… With the UK still being a covid black spot. One of us misunderstood I think as I was under the impression that SF wanted a single policy for the whole of the island of Ireland as distinct from a policy that would apply to the two islands, Great Britain and Ireland.
it won’t be long until we have a one island approach
Anything to stop an one ireland
Jeffrey’s idea of a two country approach is for the Republic to fall under the United kingdom umbrella. A United British Isles approach. Sorted.
@Leonard O’mahony: this is the beginning of a zero-covid strategy for Ireland and GB….
@Leonard O’mahony: btw, contrary to the references in this article, Ireland’s name is Ireland and has been since 1937. It has never been called Republic of anything despite the British having the arrogance to pass a law in 1949 stating that Ireland’s name shall be the Republic of. This was done at the behest of the half crown loyalist terrorists who like the dog in the manger that wouldn’t let the cattle eat the hay, don’t want to be Irish but don’t want the Irish to call their country, Ireland.
@James McErlain: curiousity as to the Republic of Ireland act 1948 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland_Act_1948
The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 (No. 22 of 1948) is an Act of the Oireachtas which declared that Ireland may be officially described as the Republic of Ireland,
@Niall Ó Cofaigh: Sigh, Rep is the description of the state, not the name of the state.
@Leonard O’mahony: British Isles? Is that not a dated geo-politucal term that even the British government decided to stop using over 20 years ago?
Can’t even manage a one-island approach!
I thoroughly agree with them. Ireland and Rockall would do well to start discussions immediately. :-)
Yeah I’m ok holding off on a trip to plague island thanks
Jesus we didn’t vote to leave the EU they did.The Daily Mail, Express etc would have a field day if we aligned with the UK a real Up Yours Delors moment.
@patrick o keeffe: well while you’re busy worrying what’s written in a newspaper the rest of us are just trying to keep our elderly loved ones alive. And right now, seeing the EU has totally failed in its first objective of protecting its citizens, I’d say that sharing a bubble with our nearest neighbor is a damn good idea. They might even see fit to throw us a few left over bottle of vaccine. Even MaryLou is on for it
Wouldn’t agree to an all island approach but want a two island approach. Seriously
So sick of this Irish party sooner they go the way of
renua the better
Let’s explore a one island approach with international travel later
Well opinion and emotion aside, the U.K. should be on the cusp of herd immunity and the end on Covid in their jurisdiction in approx 28 days. If not sooner if some of the weirdness of large numbers kicks in, which isn’t improbable.
@Gerard Carthy: Depends on the strain. Everyone will be innoculated using a vaccine that reportedly has low efficacy against a strain of Covid rampant in Kent.
Did anyone point out to them that we are on a one island ? Their masters ar on that bigger one to the east they are welcome to join them, we will help them pack.
have your say